The N.F.L. denied an application for reinstatement by the suspended Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon. A league spokesman said Gordon could apply again in the future, but the decision puts in doubt Gordon’s status for the 2016 season.
Gordon was suspended for all of the 2015 season for testing positive for alcohol, following a suspension in the 2014 season for testing positive for marijuana. On Monday, multiple news media reports indicated that a recent league-administered drug test had shown traces of marijuana and a diluting substance. According to league policy, for Gordon to be reinstated, he must demonstrate sustained abstinence during his suspension.