After six years of failed drug tests and largely untapped potential, the Browns have finally reached their breaking point with Josh Gordon, the talented but troubled wide receiver.
The Browns announced Saturday night that they will release Gordon on Monday after he showed up late for a team walkthrough and appeared to be under the influence, possibly a relapse in his long struggle with substance abuse.
"This afternoon we informed Josh Gordon and his representatives that we are going to release him on Monday,'' Browns GM John Dorsey said in a statement. "For the past six years, the Browns have fully supported and invested in Josh, both personally and professionally and wanted the best for him, but unfortunately we've reached a point where we feel it's best to part ways and move forward. We wish Josh well."
Obviously, Gordon did not make the trip for the Browns' game Sunday in New Orleans. He was likely to miss the game with what the team had said earlier was a hamstring injury.
His last game in a Browns uniform -- and likely his last in the NFL -- came last week against the Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium. He was targeted three times and pulled in one catch, Tyrod Taylor's 17-yard pass that went for a game-tying touchdown with 1:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of what ended up a 21-21 tie.
Selected in the 2012 supplemental draft, Gordon was an All-Pro in 2013 when he led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards, but his career soon nosedived after a series of violations of the league's substance abuse policy.
He missed the entire 2015 and '16 seasons due to suspension and was reinstated last November to play in the final five games of the season.
Gordon was allowed to report late to training camp this summer to focus on his mental health. He had stated previously that he suffers from anxiety and uses alcohol and marijuana to self-medicate.
Former Browns teammate Joe Haden told DKPittsburghSports.com before last week's opener that he was rooting for Gordon -- who he called a 'good-hearted dude' -- to maintain his sobriety. Apparently, that didn't happen.