Josh Gordon has been banned yet again.
The Seattle Seahawks announced Monday that the wide receiver, whom they claimed off waivers in November, was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL policies on performance-enhancing substances and substances of abuse.
This is the fifth suspension in eight years for Gordon. The receiver was suspended indefinitely just last December while a member of the New England Patriots. Gordon was conditionally reinstated in August, just in time for the start of the 2019 season.
Gordon played six games with the Patriots this year, hauling in 20 catches for 287 yards and a score, before New England waived the wideout in late October. Seattle picked up Gordon off waivers the next day. In five games with the Seahawks, Gordon racked up just seven catches on 11 targets for 130 yards and averaged 26 offensive snaps per game.
The receiver has a long history of mental health and substance abuse issues. Gordon missed two full seasons while being suspended and participated in just 11 games for the Cleveland Browns from 2014 to 2018. He was conditionally reinstated by the NFL in November 2017, appearing in five games with the team.
Now after being suspended indefinitely in back-to-back seasons from violating the substances of abuse policy, Gordon's football career appears to be hanging on by a thread.
As for Seattle, who is in the midst of a playoff run and just clinched a postseason berth on Sunday afternoon, Gordon's loss will hurt but will not be totally devastating.
A deep threat and third-down conversion-extraordinaire, Gordon will be missed in those regards. But the receiver was used sparingly as a pass-catcher in Brian Schottenheimer's offense, and Seattle boasts a reliable receiving corps led by Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf to balance out its rushing attack.
The Seahawks (11-3) will begin their new normal, sans Gordon, against the Arizona Cardinals at home next week.
