Jeremy Fowler lays out the steps the NFL will take now that Josh Gordon has officially filed for reinstatement. (1:01)

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Suspended New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon has officially filed for reinstatement, a source confirmed Wednesday.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has sole discretion on Gordon's status and the timing in which a decision is ultimately made. Any decision would be based on whether Gordon has adhered to whatever treatment plan he is in.

Gordon was suspended Dec. 20 for violating the terms of his reinstatement under the league's substance abuse policy, missing the Patriots' final two regular-season games and all three playoff games.

In March, Goodell said, "The first thing is to focus on Josh himself as a young man, and what he needs to do to get his life on the right track. That's what our focus is. We have resources supporting that, and that's our hope."

At the time, Goodell had been asked if Gordon might have an additional suspension if reinstated.

"Once he gets on the right track, we'll get to that place," Goodell said in March. "But I think right now, he has had a complete focus on 'I have to get myself all cleared in the right place before I can get back on the field.'"

Gordon's filing for reinstatement could be viewed as him feeling he has reached that point.

Veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer first reported Saturday that he heard Gordon had filed for reinstatement.

Gordon signed his restricted free-agent tender in April, meaning that if he is reinstated, he would be under contract with the Patriots for 2019 and scheduled to earn a base salary of $2.025 million.