Belichick Refuses to Talk About Josh Gordon Trade
Thursday, September 20, 2018
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is refusing to talk about newly acquired wide receiver Josh Gordon, despite Gordon practicing with the team on Wednesday afternoon.
“If and when it happens, I'm happy to talk about it. It's not completed. So, I don't understand how we don't understand that. When it's completed, it's completed. If it's not completed, it's not completed. And right now, it's not completed. So, next question,” said Belichick when asked about the trade during his press conference on Wednesday.
The trade happened on Monday afternoon and the Patriots issued a press release on it about an hour later.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe trade hit the NFL’s transaction wire on Tuesday.
“There are terms that have to be met before the trade is finalized, and when those are completed, then we'll have a completed trade. And, until they're completed, then I'm not going to get into it,” said Belichick.
When pressed, he added, “I’m not saying it's not going to happen, I'm just saying it's not completed. It's a process, and when we're through with the process, then great. We're in another situation. Right now, we're not through the process.”
Gordon was listed on the Patriots injury report as limited in practice on Wednesday with a hamstring injury.
Belichick was asked to talk “generally about Gordon as player,” but again, he sidestepped the question.
“I’m not going to talk about players that are not actually, I would say, on our roster totally. So, when that happens, it happens, if it happens.”
He is not scheduled to speak to the media again until Friday.
Gronkowski Acknowledges Gordon
While Belichick has refused to answer questions about Gordon, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski did acknowledge the new addition.
“I know that he's a good player, but I can't really get into details. I've never really practiced with him like that before seeing him in person play. But, what I've seen before, he's a great player and just definitely glad to have him here,” said Gronkowski during his press conference on Wednesday.
When asked what Gordon is going to have to do to fit in, Gronkowski said, “Work hard. Do your job. That explains it all.”
Gordon’s Troubles
As GoLocalProv reported at the time of the trade, Gordon has been suspended by the NFL for the majority of the past four seasons due to multiple drug violations.
He was suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell for the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons, and sat out the first 11 games of the 2017 season before coming back to Cleveland for the final five games.
He then missed the first three weeks of this past summer’s training camp to undergo counseling and treatment.
After playing 69 snaps in Cleveland’s week one game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he reported to the team’s facility on Saturday complaining of a hamstring injury.
The Browns said they were going to release him.
Related Slideshow: 5 Reasons Why This Will Be the Patriots Last Trip to the Super Bowl for a Long While
Related Articles
- Patriots Acquire Wide Receiver Josh Gordon From Cleveland
- Patriots Rally to Beat Redskins 26-17 in Preseason Game 1
- Patriots Release Wide Receiver Malcolm Mitchell
- Patriots Revise Brady’s Contract, Add $5 Million in Incentives
- Patriots Cruise Past Eagles 37-20 in Preseason Game 2
- Patriots 1st Round Draft Pick Wynn Out for Season with Torn Achilles
- Everything You Need to Know About Patriots Training Camp 2018
- Patriots Announce Training Camp Dates, Public Practices
- NEW: Patriots’ Edelman Facing 4-Game Suspension for Performance Enhancing Drugs
- Patriots’ Edelman Apologizes for Using Performance Enhancing Drugs
- NEW: Former Patriots Offensive Lineman Jones Dies of Cardiac Arrest
- Brown Football Alum Develin Signs 2-Year Extension With Patriots
- Popularity of Patriots, Belichick & Kraft Takes Hit in New Survey
- Patriots Fall to Carolina 25-14 in 3rd Preseason Game
- Patriots Running Back Hill Out for Season With Torn ACL
- NEW: Patriots Hold Off Houston 27-20 in Season Opener
- Patriots Sign Receivers Coleman & Fowler
- What to Watch For: Patriots vs Jaguars
- NEW: Patriots Fall to Jaguars 31-20 in AFC Championship Rematch
- What to Watch For: Texans vs Patriots
- MBTA Announces Patriots Train Schedule for Season Opener
- Patriots Restructure Gronkowski’s Contract, Add $4.3 Million in Incentives
- Patriots Cut Five Players, Trade Safety Jordan Richards to Atlanta
- Patriots Make Some Surprise Cuts