Tag: indefinite suspension

Cowboys DE Randy Gregory vents on being stuck ‘in limbo’ over reinstatement

The Dallas defensive end applied for reinstatement after the NFL relaxed its substance abuse policy, but still awaits a decision.

When defensive end Aldon Smith was signed by the Cowboys in April, it was seen as a calculated gamble by the Dallas front office. That roll of the dice paid off when Smith had his indefinite suspension lifted and was reinstated by the league in May, paving the way for him to return to professional football after four years away.

Many Cowboys fans assumed that a similar trajectory awaited pass rusher Randy Gregory. Suspended indefinitely by the league in February 2019, Gregory filed for reinstatement in March 2020. In April, the Cowboys extended his contract, and he has awaited a ruling on his return to the team ever since.

He is still waiting. And now he’s getting anxious.

Gregory posted the following to his Twitter account on Wednesday:

“I really miss playing football and being a player in the NFL. I’m doing everything that is asked of me and I’m in great shape physically, mentally, and emotionally but I’m being held back from furthering my career because of Covid and testing. I’ve been ready to play and test for months but still have gotten little to no help to resolve my reinstatement. I’m asking more questions than I’m getting answered. It’s amazing that the powers that be can keep passing the buck and also use this pandemic as a way to prevent me from joining my team. Telling me to just sit and wait in limbo over things I can’t control, all the while doing everything right off the field is unfair and flat out wrong!!!”

While the player may be frustrated, the team continues to show patience with the process.

The 2015 second-round draft pick last saw the field in the team’s playoff loss to the Rams following the 2018 season. It was the capper to a nice comeback campaign for the former Nebraska Cornhusker, who had missed 30 of the Cowboys’ 32 games over 2016 and 2017 due to suspensions. The indefinite suspension handed down in early 2019 came for violating both the league’s substance abuse policy and the terms of a previous conditional reinstatement.

The NFL has revised their substance abuse policy since Gregory’s suspension, fueling speculation that his reinstatement would be forthcoming.

According to USA Today’s Jori Epstein:

“In May, Gregory met by video conference with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, a necessary step before he could be granted reinstatement. But the person said Gregory hasn’t been able to prove via testing he conforms with NFL policy on substances of abuse due to pandemic challenges. He’s expected to have access to that testing again this weekend, the person said.”

Gregory’s tweet was not the first time he’s taken to social media in recent days to voice his disappointment with the process. NFL Network’s Bobby Belt shared a testy Twitter exchange from last week between Gregory and a member of NFL Players Association legal counsel.

While Gregory, his Dallas coaches and teammates, and Cowboys fans would certainly like the question of his 2020 availability cleared up as the season nears, there is no telling whether this sort of public pressure will have any effect on the league’s decision or their timeline for making it.

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Cowboys News: Reinstatement chances for Gregory, Dallas the next dynasty?

More on Aldon Smith’s reinstatement, new numbers in Dak’s contract saga, who made the Top 100, and who wants an empty AT&T Stadium?

Christmas came early for the Cowboys and former Pro Bowler Aldon Smith. Now that the formerly dominant defensive star has been reinstated by the league, there’s plenty of getting up to speed for fans to do on what this means, both for Smith personally as well as from the team’s perspective. And what about Randy Gregory? Will he have his suspension lifted, too?

There’s also some new (but expected) math involved in the Dak Prescott contract saga, an eagerly-awaited list that ranks several Cowboys lower than expected, and whispers of how likely a new Dallas dynasty might be. All that, plus the team’s new man in the middle, an old-school football tradition falls by the wayside, and a division rival is hoping for an empty stadium when he visits Arlington. That’s all ahead in this edition of News and Notes.

Cowboys’ Aldon Smith reinstated by NFL from suspension after four-year absence :: USA Today

After a 54-month hiatus from the National Football League, the top-ten pick from 2011 has been cleared to add to his 47.5 career-sack resume starting Tuesday. The reinstatement follows a videoconference with commissioner Roger Goodell and comes the same day former sackmaster DeMarcus Ware expressed optimism that Smith could excel in the Cowboys’ new-look defense.

Instant analysis: How Aldon Smith fits Cowboys, what his role might be :: Cowboys Wire

Here’s the nuts and bolts of what Smith’s reinstatement means to the team, from his reunion with his 49ers position coach to his rocked-up physique to how he fits in with the likes of DeMarcus Lawrence, Gerald McCoy, and rookie Neville Gallimore.

Mike Garofalo breaks down Aldon Smith’s reinstatement :: NFL.com

The NFL Network insider shares some of what the league reportedly told Aldon Smith as they officially granted his reinstatement, including a plea that he use his experience to become an “example” to young players.

Aldon Smith received his long-awaited NFL reinstatement. Will Cowboys DE Randy Gregory be next? :: The Dallas Morning News

Aldon Smith wasn’t the only suspended defensive stud the Cowboys front office gambled on this offseason. Randy Gregory, suspended indefinitely in early 2019 but retained by the club, finds himself in a holding pattern similar to the one Smith just got out of. Gregory’s agent had this to say about his client’s chances of also being cleared to return: “We are working through the process.”

Cowboys Contracts: ‘Dak wants 45M for 5th year’ – and what that means :: Cowboy Maven

Analyst Chris Simms made waves on Tuesday by floating supposedly-inside info on the club’s back-and-forth with Dak Prescott, citing proposed numbers. The previous suppositions by Mike Fisher has been recalibrated, no longer saying the difference between the two sides is solely four-vs-five years for the same amount of annual salary.

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It seems Prescott indeed would be alright with a fifth year to the deal if it matches where the salary cap and the going rate for QBs will likely be.

Ware says Cowboys have offered ‘as much as they can’ for Dak :: 247Sports

Ex-Dallas defensive star DeMarcus Ware said in a new TV interview, “your play creates your pay.” When it comes to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Ware suggests, “Yeah, he made it deep into the playoffs, but you haven’t won any championships. If you maybe had one of those rings on your hand, you might get 40 or 50 [million] right now.”

Pete Prisco’s top 100 NFL players of 2020: Patrick Mahomes takes top spot, Lamar Jackson cracks top 10 :: CBS Sports

When the senior writer of CBS Sports ranks his 100 best players, people listen. Cowboys fans may take issue with the placement of their team’s seven representatives: Ezekiel Elliott (17), Dak Prescott (46), Zack Martin (50), DeMarcus Lawrence (58), La’el Collins (77), Tyron Smith (80), and Amari Cooper (81).

Looney brings enthusiasm to new opportunity :: The Mothership

The team’s official website takes an in-depth look at fan favorite Joe Looney as he prepares to take over for the retired Travis Frederick as the Cowboys’ starting center.  He’ll bring his trademark positive attitude as he battles fourth-round draft pick Tyler Biadasz for the job in camp.

NFL’s next great dynasty? Chiefs, Cowboys, Bills among candidates :: NFL.com

Now that the Belichick/Brady partnership has been busted up, NFL.com columnist Adam Schein thinks the Cowboys have the fourth-best shot at being the league’s next dynasty.

Why the three-point stance could become a football thing of the past :: ESPN

A fascinating read here on the delicate dance between making football safer to play while allowing the most popular sport in America to remain recognizable. Kevin Seifert explains the science behind why the game’s youngest players are no longer allowed to put their hands in the dirt before the snap… and what such a rule change could ultimately mean for the evolution of the sport.

Ron Rivera: ‘It might be refreshing’ to play in Dallas, Philly without fans :: NBC Sports Washington

New Redskins coach Ron Rivera will be looking for every edge he can get in taking over the 3-13 team he inherited. In mulling over the prospect of playing the 2020 season in empty stadiums, Rivera says, “When you have to go someplace like Dallas or Philadelphia, it might be refreshing that you don’t have their fans in the stands. That’s for darn sure.”

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Cowboys DE Aldon Smith reinstated by league after 4 years away from field

The standout defensive end has not played since being suspended indefinitely in 2015, but looks to mark his turnaround with the Cowboys.

Jerry Jones rolled the dice this offseason when he signed defensive end Aldon Smith to a one-year deal. The former 49er and Raider hadn’t seen any game action since Week 10 of the 2015 season, the last game Smith played in before being suspended indefinitely by the league.

Now the Dallas Cowboys’ gamble is one step closer to paying off in a big way. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has conditionally reinstated Smith, according to Jori Epstein of USA Today.

Smith is now eligible to participate in any team activities and is expected to virtually join the Cowboys beginning Tuesday when the club’s offseason program kicks off.

Smith, the seventh-overall pick by San Francisco in 2011’s draft, has accumulated 47.5 sacks in 59 games as a pro. He earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2012 and was named the team’s MVP. But the 2013 season saw Smith begin to spiral, with car accidents, DUI arrests, substance abuse, rehab stints, and suspensions putting Smith’s name in the headlines frequently.

The Mississippi native and University of Missouri product was released by the 49ers and subsequently picked up by Oakland in 2015. He played just nine games for the Raiders, until a hit-and-run episode earned him another suspension by the league. Smith sat out the 2016 and 2017 seasons as he waited for reinstatement. After an alleged domestic violence incident, the Raiders released Smith in March 2018.

In March 2020, Smith announced he was lobbying for a return to the league. The Cowboys signed him in April, with the front office believing that reinstatement was inevitable.

As per Epstein, “a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports” that Smith has stayed clean since last July.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Smith was unable to meet personally with Goodell to discuss his status; the pair reportedly met via videoconference late last week.

In an Instagram post last month, the 30-year-old Smith shared some insight into his journey.

“There is beauty in the struggle,” Smith wrote in his post. “Life will always present us [with] tests. I’ve learned how to take a different perspective on the adversities of life. Instead of looking at life as a victim, I have embraced the journey as God has planned it, making exponential strides toward becoming a better man.”

Smith had a chance meeting with new Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy back in December as the two were training at the same Los Angeles gym.

“He’s really prepared himself for this next opportunity,” McCarthy said. “Always admired him from afar, competing against him in the old days a few years back.”

Now both men are Dallas Cowboys, and the new coach is eager to get the new Aldon Smith back on the field in 2020.

“Very impressive young man. Looking forward to having him.”

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Seattle Seahawks 2020 free agent profile: Wide receiver Josh Gordon

The Seattle Seahawks got what they paid for when signing embattled receiver Josh Gordon this season. Will they try to bring him back?

*The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 offseason with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents, which should make for another busy spring and summer for Pete Carroll and John Schneider as they look to shore up the roster and contend for the number one seed in the NFC again next year.*

Our Seahawks Wire series on Seattle’s free agents continues with wide receiver Josh Gordon.

The Seahawks have proven year after year they are willing to bring in players with a troubled past if they believe they can help them win football games. Coach Carroll believes in his culture, and while they have had some turmoil in previous years it made sense for them to take a shot at dynamic playmaker Josh Gordon last year after he was released by the Patriots.

Seattle was the only team willing to do so, and the Seahawks got pretty much exactly what they paid for – a productive No. 3 receiver for five games before he was suspended, yet again, for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

Gordon hauled in seven receptions for 139 yards and seven first downs, often coming up big in third-down situations.

However, with the length of his suspension still unknown, it seems pretty unlikely the Seahawks will re-up their contract with Gordon, likely leaving him waiting, potentially for a while, for another opportunity in the NFL.

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Josh Gordon suspended for violating league’s substance abuse policy

Seattle Seahawks receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended indefinitely and without pay for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Seattle Seahawks receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended indefinitely, and without pay, for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances and substances of abuse.

Gordon has a long history of substance abuse issues, having missed the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons for violations of the league’s policy.

He returned and played in five games with the Browns in 2017 and 12 between Cleveland and New England in 2018 before getting suspended, again, on December 20, 2018.

The Patriots kept Gordon around and he appeared in six games with them this season before he was placed on waivers and claimed by Seattle.

Upon claiming Gordon, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll indicated the team had a plan in place to help prevent this kind of event from happening.

“Hopefully, we’re putting together a really good plan,” Carroll said. “He has a really clear process that supports him. We’re all aligning to make sure that continues and he feels very good about that.”

Gordon has seven receptions for 139 yards in five games with the Seahawks this season.

Carroll will address the media at 3:00 p.m. PT. on Monday and will presumably provide more information on this developing story.

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