Saturday, August 17, 2019
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
NFL reinstates former Browns WR Gordon
BOSTON
Josh Gordon’s winding career has included several second chances following a trail of multiple drug suspensions that cast doubt whether the talented but troubled playmaker would ever get on an NFL field again.
He’s getting yet another opportunity.
The NFL conditionally reinstated the Patriots wide receiver on Friday.
Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Gordon that on Sunday, Gordon can rejoin the team for meetings and conditioning and individual workouts. After that, according to a league statement, “Subject to appropriate progress on clinical care and other arrangements, he will be permitted to participate in team activities, including practice.”
But Gordon is barred from next Thursday’s game because of a lack of sufficient conditioning and practice time.
Gordon had been suspended indefinitely since December 2018 for violations of the league’s substance abuse policy.
The Patriots have stayed mostly mum this preseason about the potential of Gordon rejoining the team, with coach Bill Belichick saying earlier this month, “We don’t have anything to do with Josh Gordon. He’s suspended. You need to talk to the league. We have no control over Josh Gordon.”
Now they will.
Gordon has been suspended several times by the NFL for violations of its drug policies since being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2012, and missed the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons.
After being reinstated in 2017, Gordon revealed in an interview with GQ magazine that he drank or used marijuana before games. “Probably every game of my career,” he said.
Gordon also said in a 2017 mini-documentary on Uninterreupted.com that he took Xanax, cocaine, marijuana and other narcotics.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
OL Westerman leaves team to ponder future
CINCINNATI
Guard Christian Westerman has left the Bengals to ponder his future, another setback to an offensive line depleted by injuries and retirements.
Westerman was placed on an exempt list Friday but could return. The fourth-year veteran has played in 16 games, starting two. He was part of a four-man competition to replace starting left guard Clint Boling, who retired shortly before camp started because of a blood clot.
Reserve tackle Kent Perkins also retired earlier this month.
The Bengals thought they’d fixed their longstanding line problems by drafting left tackle Jonah Williams in the first round and installing him as the starter. He suffered a shoulder injury during workouts that will cost him his rookie season.
NEW YORK JETS
Source: Williamson will miss 2019 season
NEW YORK
The Jets will be without playmaking linebacker Avery Williamson for the season because of a knee injury.
A person familiar with the nature of the injury told The Associated Press that Williamson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the second quarter of the team’s 22-10 preseason win at Atlanta on Thursday night.
An MRI on Friday revealed the nature and severity of the injury, according to the source who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not make an announcement.
NFL Network first reported that Williamson tore his ACL.
Williamson, one of the key pieces of the Jets’ defense, was still in the game with 3:52 left in the first half with mostly backups when cornerback Tevaughn Campbell dived for a pass from Matt Ryan to Brian Hill in the end zone and hit into the linebacker’s knee.
Williamson was slow to get up and then stayed on one knee as trainers attended to him. He slowly got up under his own power and walked off the field to the locker room.
Associated Press