Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has stayed relatively mum about cornerback Kyler Gordon throughout his long-running injury issues, but he broke that silence with some bold comments ahead of Week 4’s matchup with the New York Jets.
Gordon returned to practice for the first time in months on September 30 after the Bears opened his 21-day window to return from the physically unable to perform list. The team also listed him as a full participant for all three practice days in Week 4.
With Gordon back on the field, Johnson took the opportunity to speak at length about his star slot cornerback after saying very little during his absence.
“Man, he’s a phenomenal football player, and we have just been in a struggle — everybody’s been in a struggle — to get him out there,” Johnson said on October 2. “And so, he’s out there now. I’m more than happy to talk about anybody that’s out on the field. He’s out there right now, and you know, we’re excited about what the future could possibly hold. But it’s a matter of putting in a good day’s work every single day, stacking consecutive days up, and we’ll take it from there.
“But he is a very talented player. He always has been. It’s just unfortunate since we got in the building a year and a half ago, we haven’t had him available very much. And so, we’ll work through that, and if he can help the team, he’s gonna help the team.”
Ben Johnson No Longer Tight-Lipped on Kyler Gordon
Johnson’s recent comments about Gordon are a significant departure from how he spoke about his 26-year-old cornerback during his long-term injury absence.
Gordon missed all of OTAs and training camp with a nagging calf injury that frustrated the team and raised essential questions about his future in Chicago — questions that rang even louder after Gordon missed most of the 2025 season with multiple injuries.
When pressed about Gordon, though, Johnson kept things short and blunt.
“Get healthy,” Johnson said bluntly on July 30 when asked what his message was to Gordon after the $40 million cornerback started camp on the PUP list.
Since then, Johnson said almost nothing about Gordon, saying things like “no update” and “unknown” when asked about his expected return to the field.
With Gordon seemingly nearing a return, though, Johnson’s tone has notably shifted.
Bears News: Kyler Gordon Won’t Play vs. Jets in Week 4
Gordon is back on the practice field, but he won’t play against the Jets in Week 4.
The Bears took advantage of a new NFL rule when they opened Gordon’s practice window this week, one that allows players on injury lists to return to practice and start ramping up after missing two games — even if they are still ineligible for activation.
That is the case for Gordon, who cannot return to the Bears’ 53-man roster until he has spent the mandated minimum of four games on the PUP list. The Bears will have clearance to activate him in Week 5 ahead of their road game against the Green Bay Packers.
That said, Gordon’s return to practice is objectively good news for Chicago.
The opening of Gordon’s practice window puts a ticking clock on his return to play. Given that Gordon would have to spend the rest of the 2026 season on the PUP list without an activation, chances are good that the Bears expect to clear him before then.
Gordon was also a full participant in all three practices in Week 4. While two of those practices were walk-throughs, his no-limits participation indicates he is close.
Bears’ Ben Johnson Breaks Silence on Kyler Gordon Before Jets Game