This week, Chicago Bears fans heard general manager Ryan Poles respond to a question about whether or not Kyler Gordon will ever suit up for the team again.
And the response was ... uh, not exactly inspiring. For those who missed it, the gist of the answer was a simple, "I don't know" from Poles.
Just a day later, Gordon was spotted training in a video circulating around social media. To be frank, he looked good. He looked healthy. That seems to be the overwhelming sentiment from those who have seen the video, to this point.
But, considering all that has happened with Gordon's injury situation to this point, it brings up some major questions.
Real quick, to recap: Gordon has dealt with multiple soft tissue injuries over the last year or so, causing him to appear in just three games last year, and he has missed the entirety of training camp and the preseason. We still don't know if or when he'll be back.
But the video ... the video seemed positive.
Kyler Gordon looks healthy in his workout video, so why can't he suit up for the Bears?
This is the big question; the immediate question everybody is asking after seeing the video. I spent some time chatting with a longtime personal trainer, Justin Trangsrud, who has trained college football players among other types of athletes for the better part of two decades. I just asked him, flat-out, why couldn't Gordon play if he looks like this?
"That is tough. Watching the video, he looks good," he said. "He looks stable in all the movements. He looks fluid in all the movements. You even see him sprint too.
"But, if he’s completing that type of workout and then complaining about pain after, or if there’s any swelling after, that could be the big red flag and the ultimate issue."
Trangsrud also went on about how he actually tends to side with the athletes in this type of scenario.
"I admit I am biased towards the athletes in this situation, though. I feel like sometimes fans lose sight of the fact that these guys are competitors and no one wants to sit on the sidelines. It’s not fun for him to be sitting out games like this.
"Even if he looks good in videos like this, I assume that something doesn’t feel right to him and that’s what’s stopping him from coming back. It can make things more confusing as an athlete if you have the training staff and coaches telling you everything is good, but your mind and body is telling you something doesn’t feel right."
Why haven't we seen any videos like this until NOW?
All we've heard from Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles, for months, is that there is a plan in place and they're following that plan. We haven't heard or seen anything about his rehab and/or training -- nothing.
But now, a video surfaces.
It isn't a coincidence, though, because...
Is Kyler Gordon trying to prove a point to Ryan Poles?
Yes, Gordon is trying to prove a point to Poles. After his own general manager casted some serious doubt over whether he'd ever play again, in Chicago, you bet he's sending a message.
From the athlete's point of view, who wouldn't want to try and save face from all of the rumors, doubts and whispers? Just for a moment, think of it from Gordon's perspective. If he's truly doing everything he can to get back, and his body and/or mind simply aren't responding or recovering as he would like, that has to be debilitating.
It is an awful situation all-around, to sum it up.
Will we actually see Kyler Gordon suit up for the Bears again?
And once again, we come back to the same question Poles answered so candidly.
If Gordon is able to get back and stay healthy, fans would be thrilled. He's a game-changing player at the nickel position. We know this.
But, this is starting to feel like one of those Derrick Rose type of situations. It's taking a lot longer for him to come back. A lot of it could be mental, and that's perfectly fair. We can't judge Gordon for what has happened or what his mind might be telling him. That's for him to work through.
Would it be great to see him suit up again? Absolutely.
Read more: Braxton Jones faces career crossroads entering 2026 season with Bears
Is the general sentiment angling towards Gordon exiting the organization? Sadly, yes.
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