Before the start of the 2026 season Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles did not express much confidence in slot cornerback Kyler Gordon playing for the team this season.
"I don't know," Poles said when asked if he saw Gordon suiting up anytime soon.
Chicago Bears get Kyler Gordon back earlier than expected
After Kyler Gordon not only returned, but recorded three sacks, including a game-winning strip sack, he had a response for the General Manager who drafted and extended him.
"It is what it is,” said Gordon on the comments by Poles. “I can't control what someone else says, but at the end of the day, I'm going to go out there, do my job to the best of my ability, and be the best player in the league at my spot."
It was not just that Poles questioned whether he would play for the team again. He put the onus on the player to overcome the injury. Poles made it clear that the team signed off on Gordon and they felt he was healthy. However, Gordon was not comfortable returning at the stage of his recovery that the Bears were.
"Any time you have an injury and you're coming back from something there's discomfort that you have to push through and that's what it comes down to,” said Poles on September 1. “So we haven't been able to get over that hump and we're not progressing as fast as we'd like."
Gordon spent the offseason rehabbing with the team. However, after a few weeks into the season the team signed off on him going to work out with his personal trainer to attempt to return sooner.
Gordon returned a few weeks later and was practicing. After putting in two full weeks of practice, the team decided to activate for their Week 6 win against the Atlanta Falcons.
Gordon only played 17 snaps in his return. Stunningly, the team blitzed him on nine of those snaps. He was always one of the best blitzing slot cornerbacks in the NFL, and they seemed interested in taking advantage of that skill set. It ended up being the difference in the game.
When Gordon was out, the team played Clark Phillips in the slot. He made his debut with the Bears after being traded from the Falcons before the season. This allowed rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad to stay on the outside. The secondary is coming together.
| More Bears on DaWindyCity |
Add us as a preferred source on Google