New England Patriots Release Brief Statement On Josh Gordon

Josh Gordon has decided to walk away from the New England Patriots and the game of football all together for the time being. 

On Thursday morning, the receiver released a statement revealing that he’ll be stepping away from the game to focus on his mental health. Gordon said, ““I take my mental health very seriously at this point to ensure I remain able to perform at the highest level. I have recently felt like I could have a better grasp on things mentally. With that said, I will be stepping away from the football field for a bit to focus on my mental health. I would like to thank Coach Belichick, Mr. Kraft, as well as countless others within the Patriots organization for their continued support. I want to thank my fans for their support as well as I continue down the path getting back to 100%.”

Shortly after news of Josh Gordon’s leave of absence broke Thursday morning, the New England Patriots released a brief statement on the matter.

In the aftermath of this announcement by Gordon, the Patriots have released a statement of their own supporting Gordon and noting that they intend to keep this matter private. 

Statement from the New England Patriots on Josh Gordon: pic.twitter.com/tXmXrXVrJL

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 20, 2018

Gordon, who battled substance abuse and mental health issues during his six-plus seasons with the Cleveland Browns and was suspended multiple times, reportedly is facing another indefinite suspension for violating the terms of his reinstatement.

Gordon played in 11 games for the Patriots after being traded from Cleveland in September, catching 40 passes for a team-high 720 yards and three touchdowns. He did not speak to the media following Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, during which he played 57 snaps but caught just one pass for 19 yards.

Patriots players are scheduled to speak with reporters Thursday afternoon. Head coach Bill Belichick will hold his weekly Friday news conference the following morning.

The Patriots will host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Week 16.