Bill Belichick on Josh Gordon Suspension: Hope He Can Deal with It Successfully

With Josh Gordon suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Thursday, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick wishes the receiver nothing but the best as he deals with his latest personal matter.

Belichick addressed the matter during Friday's press conference, via ESPN.com's Mike Reiss:

"It's an unfortunate situation," Belichick said. "I hope he is able to deal with it successfully."

This comes one day after the Patriots offered their support as an organization:

Gordon broke the news Thursday that he would be stepping away from football via Twitter, saying that he needed to work on his mental health:

However, it was later reported that he was being suspended for violating the terms of his reinstatement under the league's substance-abuse policy.

It marked just the latest discipline for the seventh-year pro. Gordon missed two games in 2013 as well as the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons as the result of substance-abuse suspensions. While being sidelined for the beginning of the 2017 campaign, he was ultimately reinstated and was able to play in five games last season.

Gordon entered 2018 with the expectation of proving that he could regain his Pro Bowl form from 2013 with the opportunity to play in a full season for the first time since 2012, his rookie year. However, then with the Cleveland Browns, he took a leave of absence during the summer as part of his "overall health and treatment plan."

He played in the Browns season opener but was traded to the Patriots amid a report that he injured his hamstring, which caused him to miss Week 2, during a promotional shoot. New England sent a 2019 fifth-round pick in return for the wideout, while Cleveland included a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick, which would be triggered if Gordon was not active for 10 games with the Patriots this season.

Gordon hauled in 40 catches for 720 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games for New England.