NFL Rumors: Patriots’ Josh Gordon Injured Reserve Decision Called ‘Mysterious,’ Gordon May Sign With New Team
On October 17, New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon suffered a knee injury in a Thursday Night Football game against the New York Giants. Gordon then missed the undefeated team’s Monday night game this week against the New York Jets, as The Inquisitr reported.
But on Wednesday, the Patriots made a surprising decision, suddenly placing Gordon — whom they acquired from the Cleveland Browns in September, 2018, in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round pick — on the injured reserve list. The decision ended Gordon’s season. But there was only one problem. According to MMBQ senior reporter Albert Breer, reporting via Twitter, Gordon has told Breer’s sources that he expects to be ready to play again soon. In fact, Breer wrote, “I was told he ran 22 MPH on the treadmill during a rehab session today.”
Gordon himself added more intrigue to what the Hot New Hip Hop sports site called his “mysterious” placement on the IR.
The seven-year veteran placed a single comment on an Instagram post on the official NFL account, accompanying a post announcing that he had been placed on IR.
“Interesting,” Gordon wrote, according to the Boston sports site NESN.
Gordon is now hoping to receive medical clearance and sign with a new team, Breer reported.
The Patriots acquired 30-year-old, eight-year veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu from the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday, and Sanu made his debut at New England’s Wednesday practice. The team has also been rumored to be in the market for currently-injured Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green, The Inquisitr reported.
Gordon has battled substance abuse issues for his entire career, leading Hot New Hip Hop to speculate that the Patriots’ decision may be related to Gordon’s “sobriety.” Gordon missed the entire 2015 and 2016, seasons when he was a member of the Cleveland Browns, due to suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
But the “mysterious” decision to end Gordon’s season may also be related to his production. Appearing in six games this season, Gordon was targeted 36 times by the Patriots’ future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, with 20 catches for 287 yards. His average of 14.4 yards per reception was the lowest of Gordon’s career since 2014.
The Super Bowl champion Patriots remain one of only two undefeated teams in the NFL, despite the turmoil in their receiving corps. With injuries sidelining first-round draft pick N’Keal Harry and hampering wide receivers Julian Edelman and Phillip Dorsett, the Patriots signed seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Antonio Brown earlier this season.
But as The Inquisitr reported, almost immediately after he signed with the Patriots, multiple sexual misconduct allegations against Brown surfaced. The Patriots released him after just one game.
