Seahawks receiver Josh Gordon was reinstated by the NFL on Thursday and will be eligible to play in the final two games of the regular season, the league announced.
Gordon was indefinitely suspended last Dec. 16 by the league for violating policies on performance-enhancing drugs and substances of abuse.
The NFL's statement Thursday read: "NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Seattle's Josh Gordon, it was announced today. Gordon may begin COVID testing Friday, December 4 and may join the club on December 9 assuming negative tests. Gordon will be permitted to attend team meetings and individual meetings with coaching staff. He may also engage in individual workouts and strength and conditioning, but may not practice, travel with the team or attend games. On December 21 following the club's Week 15 game, Gordon will be permitted to participate in practice and be eligible to play in the team's final two regular season games."
The NFL in essence suspended Gordon for a full 16-game season, which equals two other suspensions he has received during a career in which he has been suspended eight times by the league or his team.
Gordon became a free agent after the 2019 season, when he caught seven passes in five games for 139 yards for Seattle, and re-signed with the Seahawks in August. He has not counted against the team's active roster since then. Once he is eligible the team will have to make a move to put him on the 53-player roster.
Gordon, 29, was a first team All-Pro pick in 2013 with Cleveland when he had 87 receptions for 1,646 yards. But his career has been derailed by the suspensions, and he has played just 33 games since then.
Gordon has been living and training in the Seattle area since becoming a Seahawk. Seattle claimed him off waivers Nov. 1, 2019 from New England after he played in six games for the Patriots in 2019, making 20 catches for 287 yards.
Once reinstated Gordon will join the battle for playing time in Seattle's receiving corps behind the starting duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
David Moore has been Seattle's primary No. 3 receiver this year and has 27 receptions for 331 yards and five touchdowns.
Rookie Freddie Swain has worked as Seattle's No. 4 receiver (he has 10 receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown).
No other receiver on Seattle's roster has a reception. Penny Hart has been the fifth receiver on the roster much of the season and has played in nine games.
Seattle signed free agent Phillip Dorsett II in the spring as a possible third receiver. But he has not played while battling a foot injury that required surgery. He remains on injured reserve.
