Cris Carter believes Josh Gordon should be cut, draws parallels
Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter credits former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan for helping him turn his life around by taking a drastic first step to make it happen. Ryan made Carter a very surprising cut, but it allowed Carter to stop his addictions to various drugs and improve his life and career. Cleveland Browns superstar wide receiver Josh Gordon will be suspended for the 2014 season and, likely, a chunk of the 2015 season for several marijuana-related incidents, as well as a recent DWI that has put his career in serious jeopardy. It’s unclear whether or not the Browns will release one of the most talented wide receivers in the game, but it’s a decision many would support.
Carter would support it, but it’s for the same reason why he looks back fondly on Ryan’s decision to cut him. He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot, “He loves football more than anything, so I would take that away. When I say they should cut him, I say that because I believe that will be the catalyst to help. When you’re falling in life, at some point you have to make a bottom floor and say ‘this is it for me. I’m going to establish my house on this right here. And i’m going to build up.”
Look, I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I know jack about these situations, because I’ve never been in this position. Carter, however, has, and he overcame problems similar to the ones Gordon suffers from. Please click on the link above for more quotes from Carter, because it’s insightful stuff from a man with plenty of first-hand experience. After his release from the Eagles, Carter turned things around and made it into the Hall of Fame. Gordon clearly has Hall of Fame-caliber talent after leading the league in receiving despite awful QB play and a suspension, but he can kiss his whole career goodbye if things don’t change.
Carter also believes that Gordon, who has suffered with drug problems since high school, needs to overhaul his inner circle. Hopefully he takes Donald Driver up on his offer to help him and gets as much professional help as possible, but there’s no doubt that it’s all up to him at this point.