The Cleveland Browns have likely spoken to Josh Gordon about the company he keeps in his free time, which most infamously includes Johnny Manziel. No matter how you look at it, the Browns can’t be thrilled about Gordon hanging out with their former quarterback.
But that doesn’t mean Gordon is just going to ditch his good buddy.
On Thursday, Gordon told reporters at training camp that his relationship with Manziel is one that is tough for others to understand.
“It’s difficult to take people inside that relationship, but that’s one of my good friends,” he said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I’m always going to be there to support him and that’s what I’m trying to do and that’s what he wanted to do for me. We’re definitely two different people headed down two different paths and we’ll all reach our outcome at a different point in time.”
Gordon was supposedly with Manziel earlier this offseason at an L.A. rental house Manziel was accused of trashing. The 25-year-old receiver also hung out with Manziel at Coachella and picked his former teammate up after Manziel was involved in a hit-and-run.
While Gordon seemed to acknowledge that spending time with Manziel is not a good look for him, he spoke highly of the connection the two have.
“That’s my friend, first and foremost,” Gordon said. “But for the sake of my career I have to do what I have to do. And for him, going through what he has to go through to get where he needs to be, that’s on him. I’ll definitely be there for him regardless of the media, but I have to do what’s right for me right now and he has to do what’s right for him.”
Gordon has been given multiple chances to resurrect his career, and this could be his last. Manziel, who has far bigger problems than the ones Gordon has had, may never get another shot.
