Last week Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was arrested and charged with DUI and timing could not be worse for the star athlete who has had a history of NFL game suspensions because of substance abuse.  According to North Carolina police, Gordon was speeding at 50 mph on a 35 mph road around 3am on Monday July 7th.  Allegedly Gordon admitted to drinking three vodka cocktails but would not comment on any drug or marijuana usage.   Gordon’s blood alcohol content measured at 0.09, just above the legal North Caroline limit of 0.08.  Gordon was arrested, taken to jail, and charged with DUI.  Later that day his buddy Haydn “Fats” Thomas, a convicted felon, posted the $500.00 bail and Gordon was released.

Gordon’s NFL career is on the line with this additional DUI charge.  Currently the 23 year-old is dealing with a possible one year suspension for a failed drug test, and will have an appeal hearing within a few weeks with the NFL Players Association to dispute the drug use allegation.  Last year, Gordon tested positive for codeine and was penalized with a two game suspension and pay withheld from two played games.  Collegiate days were no better, Gordon was suspended twice at Baylor with the second suspension being indefinite due to failed drug testing.  He transferred to Utah were he sat out the entire season because of drug use and failed tests.

Hours after learning about Josh Gordon’s DUI arrest, Cleveland’s general manager Ray Farmer released the statement, “We are aware of the matter and are disappointed to learn of this situation. We will comment further at the appropriate time.”

ESPN Insider, John Clayton spoke about Gordon’s DUI arrest and NFL future, “And this is at time when he is facing a one year suspension and has known about it for a couple of months.  His decision-making seems to be bad. His friends may be questionable and at this stage the Cleveland Browns don’t know if he is going to be able to play, it looks pretty bad for Josh Gordon, at that hearing now he is going to have to add this conversation (recent DUI charge) and there’s a great chance he’s not going to be able to play this year.

Hiring a reputable DUI lawyer will be crucial for Josh Brown and his NFL career.  He will need an a strong defense attorney to negotiate his DUI case down to a lesser charge or best case scenario to be dismissed, for any hope to play in the upcoming season.

 

Written by Sarah Ann