Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been denied reinstatement by the NFL, according to USA Today's Tom Pelissero.
Gordon, still just 25 years old, was conditionally reinstated last Summer and was set to serve a four-game suspension to start the season, but he checked into rehab in September and never returned to the field.
When he was on the field he was one of the most dynamic receivers in the league, leading the NFL in receiving with 1,646 yards on 87 receptions in 2013. He last played for Cleveland in 2014 and has sat out the past two seasons.
In March, Browns executive vice president of football operations, Sashi Brown, said the team has not completely closed the door on bringing Gordon back if he's reinstated.
Via ProFootballTalk,
“Listen, assuming he would play at the level we started to see glimpses of last preseason and certainly in the league before, [Gordon] would be a talent I think no team in the NFL would turn down if he got back in,” Brown said, via Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland.
“Our decision with Josh is just understanding where he is in this process and being able to have him. We’re not in position at wide receiver to turn down a guy like Josh if we feel he’s settled himself. Josh is going to have an opportunity to reapply to the NFL and at that time we’ll make a decision when we know what’s going on.”
Gordon can reportedly make another bid at reinstatement in the Fall.