https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90YP4ntJUQs
Suspended Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is opening about his long history of drug use.
In a recent interview with Uninterrupted as he takes a break from in-patient recovery, Gordon discussed the wide range of drugs he has taken throughout his career and some of the help he received along the way.
It has been known that Gordon had multiple issues with alcohol and marijuana use, but he also acknowledged using much heavier drugs.
“I’ve used alcohol on many, many occasions, Xanax on many occasions, cocaine several occasions, marijuana most of my life, codeine, cough syrup, methazine — very prevalent where I’m from. It’s what I grew up using,” Gordon said, via Pro Football Talk.
Gordon discussed how he was enabled by people in power like coaches and teachers, who overlooked his issues because of how talented he was on the field.
In one specific instance, Gordon recalled a Baylor football coach helping him cheat a drug test during his time with the Bears.
“I’ve been enabled most of my life,” Gordon noted. “I’ve been enabled by coaches, teachers, professors, everybody, pretty much, gave me a second chance because of my ability. Not too long after I got arrested for possession of marijuana at Baylor, one of my coaches came by saying, ‘You are going to get drug tested by the compliance office. This is how it’s going to work, this is what they are going to do. If they do call you in, here goes these bottles of detox.’
“He showed me how to drink them, showed me how to take them. That was my first experience with getting over on the system and the authority not really being serious because it was being guided by someone who was employed by the university.”
Since receiving first-team All-Pro honors in 2013, Gordon has played in just five games due to his multiple violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
However, still just 26 years old, Gordon has the talent to make a comeback, he will just need to prove to teams that they can finally trust him off the field. He seems to be working on that right now and truly is attempting to better himself, so when he finishes his treatment we could very well see the star wide receiver look to make an impact on the gridiron for his final chance.
Gordon is currently eligible to re-apply for reinstatement in the NFL, but first he wants to continue focusing on himself before giving football another go. We wish him all the best.
Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!
