The mysterious case of injured Bears CB Kyler Gordon

I used to castigate "100 percenters" in football and relievers in baseball who could pitch the eighth inning but not the ninth as "weak" athletes — until I realized that that would be me if I could have run a sub-4.4 40 or thrown in the mid-90s. I have a low threshold of pain and an inability to focus, especially in critical situations. I'd likely have been that guy, no matter how badly I wanted to be as "tough" as Dan Hampton or as cold-blooded as Mariano Rivera.

That personal flaw came to mind when Bears general manager Ryan Poles seemed to hint at what many Bears fans are thinking and saying about cornerback Kyler Gordon and his mysterious calf injury — that Gordon is a "100 percenter" — a player who can't play through pain or discomfort and needs to be 100 percent healthy to play.

"Anytime you have an injury and you're coming back from something, there's discomfort that you have to push through. That's what it comes down to," Poles told reporters at his annual pre-regular season press conference Tuesday at Halas Hall. "We haven't been able to get over that hump, and we're not progressing as fas as we would like. That's really all I have to say about it."

That actually said plenty for a GM who surely isn't about to publicly criticize a player on his roster, especially one who is officially injured. Whether or not Gordon is a 100 percenter, his injury is hardly standard, and doesn't really fall into the range of Poles' characterization of injured players — "Sometime they return fast. Sometimes they don't."

Gordon's extended absence with a reported calf injury is a mystery. He played from start to finish in both of the Bears' postseason games in January after missing the final five regular-season games (and 10 of the last 11) with calf and groin injuries. He was on the field for the final play from scrimmage in the 20-17 overtime loss to the Rams in the divisional playoff game at Soldier Field. But he missed virtually the entire offseason program, training camp and the preseason. He'll begin the season on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, missing at least the first four games of the regular season, and likely more, judging by Poles' tone Tuesday.

A soft-tissue injury that doesn't require surgery and still keeps the player off the field eight months later is highly unusual. It's a mystery that looms larger and looks worse in light of one of the Bears' best injury rehab recoveries in years — left tackle Ozzy Trapilo returning to practice last week after suffering a torn patellar tendon against the Packers in the playoffs in January.

Gordon, who was Poles' very first draft pick as the Bears' general manager (second round, 39th overall) in 2022, has yet to play a full season in the NFL. He missed two games as a rookie (concussion), four games in 2023 (broken hand), two games in 2024 (hamstring) and 10 last season (hamstring, groin, calf). He's missed 18 of 70 games with the Bears (25.7%).

Until last season, it just seemed like bad injury luck. Former Bears safety Mike Brown struggled with injuries as well in his prime (though after he had played in every game in his first four seasons). The timing of his bigger injury issues in 2025 after signing a three-year, $40 million contract extension in April just compounds the frustration if not the suspicion with Gordon's absence.

But whether Gordon is a 100 percenter or just the victim of a strange injury that just won't heal, I don't think it's because he's weak or doesn't want to play. He feels what he feels, and some athletes are built differently — physically and mentally — than others.

Just ask Ryan Poles. He was the Chiefs' director of college scouting and part of the evaluation of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2017. Mahomes not only has become one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, but he's had an uncanny knack for recovering quickly from injuries.

In the playoffs in 2023, Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain in the divisional playoffs against the Jaguars — normally a 4-6 week absence, and barely missed two series in leading the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl championship in four seasons. He suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 15 last season, but participated in every practice in training camp and is on target to start in Week 1.

Mahomes' durability was somewhat predictable – in 2016, he suffered a sprained shoulder against Kansas, was "week-to-week" and then threw for 504 yards and two touchdowns and scored two rushing touchdowns in a loss to Kansas State the following week, and never missed another game.

Durability literally was a Gordon strength coming out of Washington in the 2022 draft — he played in every game in his three seasons as a regular. So his inability to get healthy was difficult, if not impossible, to predict.

Ben Johnson's frustration has been evident, through his tone more than his words. And Poles, as even-keeled as a competitive person in his position can be, subtly leaked a little of his frustration as well Tuesday. At this point, it's presumed that Gordon will not play this season, and if he eventually returns, it's a bonus. When the coach and GM are all but throwing up their arms in frustration, that's about all you can do.

It was left unsaid whether the Bears' training staff has determined that Gordon is physically healthy enough to play. Is the injury just not healing? Or is Gordon't body — like with Derrick Rose in 2012-13 — calling the shots?

Based on Poles' response, it seems like the latter. But whichever it is, I don't think Gordon's prolonged absence is because he doesn't want to play or that he's dogging it or coasting after getting paid, but because his body (or his mind) just won't let him. We learned from Rose's prolonged, frustrating initial rehab that some athletes, no matter how blessed, are just wired and built differently than others when it comes to injury adversity. And there's nothing we — or they — can do about it. Some guys got it. And some guys don't. I don't blame Kyler Gordon. I feel sorry for him.

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