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Report: Richard Gordon had been evaluated for mental illness three times

Oakland Raiders v Houston Texans

HOUSTON - OCTOBER 09: Tight-end Richard Gordon #82 of the Oakland Raiders catches a pass near the sideline against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on October 9, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

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When an NFL player is arrested for domestic violence and has an assault rifle in the back of his car, it’s easy to miss details which can cast the story in an entirely different light.

And in the case of former NFL journeyman tight end Richard Gordon, it also raises more questions about why he had an assault rifle in the back of his car to begin with.

According to the woman accusing Gordon of punching her, the former NFL tight end had been “Baker Acted” three times recently.

The Baker Act, as it’s commonly referred to, was originally known as the Florida Mental Health Act and provides authorities the power to admit those showing signs of mental illness for up to 72 hours.

Coupled with the portion of the report that includes her saying he hadn’t slept in several days, and snapped on her to the point of assault, the report paints a picture of a 29-year-old with some serious issues.

And that person had an AR-15 and two magazines in the back seat of his car, with the apparent intent of going to a strip club at which he had been involved in a previous altercation.

Regardless your political beliefs, that’s a chilling thought.

Gordon spent time with six teams in five years, most recently the Broncos, who cut him earlier this offseason. He was originally a sixth-round pick of the Raiders from the University of Miami.