Agent Drew Rosenhaus expressed dismay with the NFL over Josh Gordon's leaked drug test results and said he was hopeful the suspended Cleveland Browns wide receiver will still be able to play this season.
"Josh and I are very disappointed in the league. This is confidential information," Rosenhaus told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday. "This is a test result that would be underneath the limit to be considered a positive test. This is not information that is supposed to be disseminated publicly. This is not information that is supposed to be available. It shouldn't be in the news, it's completely confidential."
Rosenhaus is pursuing a grievance with the help of the NFL Players Association over the leaked test results.
Gordon's bid for reinstatement was denied Tuesday after he failed a drug test last month. While the level of marijuana reportedly in his system was below the 35-nanogram threshold, the sample was diluted, which is the same as a positive test by the NFL's standards.
"Josh has been working very hard over the past year to get himself back into the NFL," Rosenhaus said. "Obviously there's been a hiccup here. He acknowledges that, but he'll have another opportunity before the season to show the NFL that he's got his life in order and that he's ready to resume his NFL career without any setbacks, and I'm very hopeful that he will."
Gordon can again apply for reinstatement on Aug. 1.
"He's had a recent setback here, but it's not of the nature where it's going to derail his hopes," Rosenhaus said. "It's a temporary setback. I'm confident he can get right back on track, and without getting into the details because that's the very thing that we're very upset about, I really believe that Josh has done an admirable job up until this point. I hope he can get back to that, and I am confident that he will."
"Obviously there's been a hiccup here. He acknowledges that, but he'll have another opportunity before the season to show the NFL that he's got his life in order and that he's ready to resume his NFL career without any setbacks and I'm very hopeful that he will." Drew Rosenhaus, to SiriusXM, on Josh Gordon playing in 2016
The Browns plan to determine Gordon's future with the team after a decision on his reinstatement. If Gordon is reinstated, coach Hue Jackson and director of football operations Sashi Brown would have a long heart-to-heart with him, they said. At that time, the team would judge Gordon's mindset and decide on his future. Although the team could release him at any time, the Browns have no immediate plans to do so.
"Once Josh was suspended, we organizationally set our mind frame to not counting on him coming back, and I think that's the only healthy way to operate and the way we continue to look at it," Brown said Wednesday in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. "And if Josh is fortunate enough to be reinstated, obviously we'll have some discussions with him at that time."
Gordon has been suspended since February 2015.
He was initially suspended for the 2014 season after testing positive for marijuana. His penalty was later reduced to 10 games after the league and NFL Players Association changed their substance abuse policies.
After Gordon pleaded guilty to driving while impaired on July 5, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina, he was required to submit to alcohol testing under the third stage of the league's mandated program.
Gordon said he drank on a flight to Las Vegas a few days after the 2014 season and failed a subsequent test. Gordon had assumed any restrictions ended after the season, but he didn't clarify that with the league.
ESPN's Pat McManamon and The Associated Press contributed to this report.