Suspended Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has applied to the NFL office for reinstatement, according ESPN's Tony Grossi. The Browns star wide receiver was suspended on Feb. 3, 2015 after violating the league's policy on substance abuse for the third time.
Gordon failed a test for alcohol following the 2014 season, and was suspended indefinitely. The Browns young talented wide out had been suspended for 10 games during the 2014 season due to a DWI arrest. While Gordon was suspended indefinitely from the NFL, terms of his suspension allow him to apply for reinstatement as early as 60 days prior to the one-year anniversary of his ban. The NFL now has 60 days to act on the application.
"To be reinstated, a player must demonstrate sustained abstinence," an NFL spokesman told NFL reporter Ian Rapoport, via NFL Network. "In support of their applications, players generally put forward verifiable testing records and/or submit to periodic NFL testing during the banishment period."
Gordon is under contract with the Browns in 2016, and is set to become a restricted free agent in 2017. The Browns have already made a ton of offseason moves and are already building towards the 2016 season under newly acquired head coach Hue Jackson. Gordon will turn 25 this offseason and it's unclear how Jackson and the Browns organization would react to his return.
Gordon was considered one of the best in the league at his position a couple seasons ago, as he led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,646 yards in 2013.
