Cornerback Kyler Gordon was the darling of the offseason last year. The Chicago Bears moved quickly to lock him up to a three-year extension worth $40 million. Few were prouder of that achievement than general manager Ryan Poles. Gordon was his first-ever draft pick. Handing him a second contract is a major victory. He never could’ve imagined how badly things would fall off a cliff. Since signing that deal, Gordon has missed 14 games. Now that he is on the PUP list, he will miss at least another four going into 2026.
Stances have steadily shifted from concern for Gordon’s health to outright belief that the cornerback is overplaying his issues. He isn’t committed to playing football anymore. Frustration inside Halas Hall is palpable. Head coach Ben Johnson gets annoyed every time Gordon’s name is mentioned. Some have started to wonder if the cornerback will even see the field if he does return. Poles was asked about the team’s expectations. His answer sent a crystal clear message.
Gordon might be done done.
“I don’t know. I would hope so, I still have hope there…
…Anytime you have an injury and you’re coming back from something, there’s discomfort you have to push through. And that’s what it comes down to. So we haven’t been able to get over that hump and we’re not progressing as fast as we’d like. That’s really all I have to say about that.”
What happened with Kyler Gordon?
That is incredibly difficult to answer because the man himself has not spoken. The Bears, for their part, have been careful not to call him out directly. At the same time, they haven’t tried overly hard to hide their frustration on the matter. We know the cornerback is reportedly dealing with a calf strain. If that is true, it must be a really bad one because it not only kept him out all summer but also the first month of the regular season. So either the injury is worse than anyone is letting on, or something else is happening that neither side wants to touch.
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If you’re into rumors, there was one that popped up recently suggesting that Kyler Gordon isn’t as committed to football as you might think. Some have claimed he is a big-time lover of the nightlife. This has led to substance abuse problems. There is also an indication that he is more focused on his love of fashion than he is on football, which contributes to his reluctance to return.
There is no concrete proof of this, but the lack of clarity is letting such rumors run rampant. The Bears’ hardening stance on the cornerback certainly isn’t helping.
Intentional or not, Gordon’s time in Chicago might be over.
Keep in mind that Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen weren’t here when he was drafted. That was a different coaching staff. While both liked his talent, they had no personal input in his addition to the team or his extension. That lack of loyalty put him at much greater risk if things went sideways. As we’ve seen, they most certainly have. Even if Gordon does return this season, which doesn’t sound guaranteed, he may not have a job waiting for him. The Bears may not be able to cut him right now because of that contract, but they’re under no obligation to play him.
They’ve already been working rookie Malik Muhammad hard in the slot all summer. Veteran Cam Lewis also has experience there. The team is moving in a direction that suggests they’re thinking about life after him. Poles felt like that one person who might still defend Gordon amidst the turmoil. His comments on Tuesday sounded so resigned. So lacking in optimism. When that happens as a player, you’re almost always screwed.
