In an open letter posted online, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon fired back at critics, explained the circumstances that led to his latest suspension by the NFL and expressed regret for bad decisions throughout his life.

Gordon, who sat out the first 10 games of the 2014 season on a suspension for a failed marijuana test and a DUI, is facing a one-year ban after failing another drug test.

In the letter posted on Medium.com, Gordon called out sports media celebrities Charles Barkley, Cris Carter and Stephen A. Smith for their criticisms of Gordon. The 23-year-old said they had no right to criticize someone they had never met.

Gordon said the latest failed test was the result of drinking with teammates on a flight to Las Vegas on Jan. 2. He received notice to take a drug test as soon as he landed in Las Vegas.

Gordon — who in 2013 caught 87 passes for 1,646 yards and 14 touchdowns — admitted he had failed the team, his family, his friends and himself.

“Words cannot express the remorse and regret I feel over this latest incident,” he wrote. “I acknowledge that the repeated transgressions that have led up to this point have damaged my credibility, and for that, the only person to blame is me.”

—The San Diego Chargers on Thursday hired veteran NFL coach Mike Nolan to be their linebackers coach.

Nolan, most recently the defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, replaces Joe Barry, who became the defensive coordinator in Washington.

Nolan, 55, has 28 years of NFL coaching experience — including four as coach of the San Francisco 49ers and 17 as a defensive coordinator.

Nolan and Chargers coach Mike McCoy worked together in Denver in 2009.

— Longtime college coach Joker Phillips was named an assistant by the Cleveland Browns.

Phillips comes to Cleveland as wide receivers coach after two years in the same position at Florida and as the Gators’ recruiting coordinator. Before that, he was head coach at Kentucky for three years.

A former NFL wide receiver, Phillips replaces Mike McDaniel, who left coach Mike Pettine’s staff after the Browns’ season ended.

—Former San Francisco 49ers director of player of personnel Tom Gamble was named a senior personnel executive by the team on Thursday.

Gamble returns to the 49ers after two years with the Philadelphia Eagles as vice president of player personnel. He previously was with the 49ers for eight years, including the last two in 2011-12 as director of player personnel.

—The Philadelphia Eagles named Ed Marynowitz as vice president of player personnel, working under coach Chip Kelly.

The Eagles had a difficult time hiring someone from the outside to take the job as Kelly’s personnel executive in the team’s front-office restructuring. On Jan. 2, Eagles owner Jeff Lurie gave control of player personnel to Kelly and promoted Howie Roseman from general manager to executive vice president of football operations.

The 30-year-old Marynowitz joined the Eagles in 2012 as the team’s assistant director of pro scouting and was promoted one year later to assistant director of player personnel.

—St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher’s deliberate search for a new offensive coordinator likely will be an in-house hire, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Fisher has brought in a number of candidates since Brian Schottenheimer left on Jan. 7 to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Georgia.

According to the newspaper, quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti and tight ends coach Rob Boras are the top options. Both coaches have been on the Rams’ staff since Fisher became coach in 2012.

—The Washington Redskins named Chad Grimm as defensive quality control coach.

Grimm, son of Washington Hall of Famer Russ Grimm, is entering his seventh NFL season after spending the last two years in the same capacity with the San Diego Chargers.

Grimm spent his first four NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals after entering the league in 2009 as an offensive quality control coach.

—Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct Thursday and was sentenced to 18 months of probation and community service in a domestic assault case.

The punishment, handed down in Maricopa County (Ariz.) Superior Court, is the result of a case in which Dwyer allegedly assaulted his wife last July.

Dwyer, 25, had pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of felony aggravated assault and criminal damage for allegedly head-butting his wife and breaking her nose July 21. But he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Thursday and the felony counts were dismissed.