Josh Gordon. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon announced on Twitter Thursday morning that he will be "stepping away from the football field for a bit" to focus on his mental health.
"I would like to thank Coach Belichick, Mr. Kraft, as well as countless others within the Patriots organization for their continued support," Gordon wrote. "I want to thank my fans for their support as well as I continue down the path getting back to 100%."
The team tweeted their own statement, saying they support Gordon's efforts and respect that it is a "private and personal matter."
Gordon was a splashy addition to the team this September, which he joined from the Cleveland Browns. He's widely regarded as a tremendously talented player, but had missed parts of the prior four seasons for drug violations--and the terms of the trade stipulated that the Patriots would get a draft pick from the Browns if he was active for fewer than 10 games.
Tom Pelissero, an NFL network reporter, indicated Gordon was facing another suspension for substance abuse violations.
The 27-year-old Gordon has 40 catches for 720 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games for New England.
WBZ NewsRadio's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports