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Browns' Joe Haden on Josh Gordon: 'Nobody was aware that he couldn't drink'

Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden said he and his teammates were unaware that wide receiver Josh Gordon was prohibited from drinking during a postseason trip to Las Vegas. 

"Listen, everybody is 21 years old. We're going to Vegas on a vacation," Haden said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Pat McManamon. "We know we can't do certain things, but we had no idea (Gordon) couldn't have a drink.

"If I knew he couldn't have a drink, everybody would have tried to ... you know what I'm saying ... it wouldn't have been that."

Gordon admitted in an open letter on The Cauldron in January that his yearlong suspension was the result of him drinking on the private plane he and some of his teammates took to Las Vegas. Former Browns receivers coach Mike McDaniel was also on board the Jan. 2 flight. 

"Nobody was aware that he couldn't drink," Haden said.

In his letter, Gordon wrote that he drank two beers and two drinks during the flight. He said it was the first time he had consumed alcohol since his DWI arrest in July 2014.

Haden, who remains close with Gordon, called the alcohol ban unfair.

"I didn't think it was fair that he couldn't drink," Haden said. "What was the problem? It is what it is. I didn't have (any) idea that he couldn't drink."

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