Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon will put his football career on hold after the team announced Thursday that Gordon will enter an in-patient rehabilitation facility.
Gordon, who was suspended for the first four games in 2016, was scheduled to play his first game since 2014 on Oct. 9, but instead he is out indefinitely.
“After careful thought and deep consideration I’ve decided that I need to step away from pursuing my return to the Browns and my football career to enter an in-patient rehabilitation facility,” Gordon said in a statement. “This is the right decision for me and one that I hope will enable me to gain full control of my life and continue on a path to reach my full potential as a person. I appreciate the support of the NFL, NFLPA, the Browns, my teammates, my agent and the community through this extremely challenging process.”
Gordon was suspended in March after his latest failed drug test. He was reinstated in July.
Suspensions for violating the league’s substance abuse policy have caused Gordon to miss 30 of the Brown’s 35 games.