Browns owner: Josh Gordon 'has failed to accept responsibility'
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam criticized wide receiver Josh Gordon after he was suspended for at least a year for violating the league's substance abuse policy earlier this month, Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer reports.
Gordon will sit out the entire 2015 season after testing positive for alcohol. He has previously served a pair of suspensions after testing positive for marijuana, including a two-game suspension to start the 2013 season and a 10-game suspension to start the 2014 season. He was also arrested for DWI in July 2014.
In an open letter, he admitted to drinking alcohol in early 2015 because he wrongly thought his alcohol ban had ended.
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Haslam said Gordon needs to be more responsible for his actions.
"We spent a tremendous amount of time on Josh," Haslam said. "At a certain point in time an individual has to take care of themselves and do what's right -- not just for themselves ... but for the team, the coaches, the people in the building, the fans.
"Josh has failed to accept that responsibility. I hope he can get his life together, he's immensely gifted."
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Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards in just 14 games in 2013. Following his 10-game suspension, he played in just five games last season, as he was also suspended for the season finale for a violation of team rules.
Haslam also said the team has not made a decision about possibly releasing Gordon.
"That's a decision that we will need to look at [at] a certain point," Haslam said. "He's out for a year so there's no huge hurry. We'll address that at the proper time."
- Paul Palladino
