After being reinstated from the suspended list in August, New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon made his first public statement on Friday with a letter posted on Twitter.
In the statement, Gordon addressed the substance abuse issues in the past that led to his suspension during the season. He also asked that people judge him on what he does moving forward rather than his mistakes in the past.
Gordon still offers the talent to be one of the NFL’s best receivers and he showed it in the preseason. It’s the substance abuse troubles that have harmed him before and will remain the biggest challenge for him moving forward.
It sounds like Gordon is in a positive place mentally and is surrounded by a group of people and an organization that wants to help him become a better and stronger person.
Gordon will play in New England’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he might need to shake off a little rust after missing part of training camp, he’ll be an impact player for New England’s offense from the moment he takes the field.