Patriots release statement on Josh Gordon leaving team

Josh Gordon announced on Thursday that he is stepping away from the New England Patriots to focus on his mental health, and the team says the star wide receiver has its full support.

The Patriots said in a statement that they will support Gordon while also respecting the star wide receiver’s privacy.

Statement from the New England Patriots on Josh Gordon: pic.twitter.com/tXmXrXVrJL

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 20, 2018

While Gordon’s statement made it seem as though he is stepping away voluntarily, reports indicate he is facing another indefinite suspension from the NFL for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement. It’s not out of the question that he will be banned from the NFL permanently this time.

Gordon played in 11 games for the Patriots after they acquired him in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. He caught 40 passes for 720 yards and three touchdowns and had become a significant part of the offense. There were rumblings that he got himself into trouble with the organization at least once, but that didn’t turn out to be anything serious. It appears the same cannot be said for the latest.