The Chicago Bears have said they are unsure whether injured cornerback Kyler Gordon will play for them during the 2026 NFL season, but his return to the field might be closer than they think if his latest workout video is any indication.
Gordon — who is in the first year of his $40 million extension — has not practiced for the Bears for the past several months, missing their entire offseason program and this summer’s training camp with a calf injury that has caused frustrations for the team.
The uncertainty about Gordon’s injury recovery also culminated in Chicago placing him on its physically unable to perform (PUP) list during its 53-man roster cuts, ensuring that he will miss at least the first four games of the 2026 regular season for them.
In terms of his health, though, Gordon seems to be progressing in the right direction, based on a series of short workout videos that NFL rehabilitation specialist Thoth (@footdoctor_moe) shared to his professional Instagram story on September 2.
Bears ‘Don’t Know’ If Kyler Gordon Will Play in 2026
The injury situation with Gordon has devolved from worrisome to maddening over the past several months as the Bears have awaited the return of their star slot cornerback.
When Gordon did not participate in spring workouts, the Bears indicated that they expected he would be back in time for the start of training camp in late July, essentially hand-waving away concerns about it being a long-term injury.
Much to everyone’s surprise, though, Gordon had not recovered from his calf injury enough by the time that camp rolled around, forcing the team to place him on the PUP list without a clear return timeline in mind. The situation did not improve over the past month, either, leaving the Bears in a state of uncertainty about his status.
“I don’t know, I would hope so,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said September 1 about whether Gordon would play for them in 2026. “I still have hope there. He’s going to have to continue to work hard and get back to playing football there.”
Bears Acknowledge Disconnect With Gordon on Injury
Gordon’s long-term absence does not appear to be a simple injury setback issue.
During his post-cutdown press conference, Poles even acknowledged that there is a disconnect between the team and Gordon about his calf injury, going as far as to hint that Gordon’s desire to “push through” his discomfort is the crux of the issue.
“Any time you have an injury and you’re coming back from something, there’s discomfort you have to push through,” Poles said Tuesday. “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 would like. That’s really all I have to say about that.”
At a minimum, the Bears won’t have Gordon on the field for the first four games of the regular season, but a longer-term absence would raise serious questions about whether he will play another snap at all for Chicago.
The Bears’ hands are tied with Gordon through at least the upcoming season. While they could try trading him to clear $10.41 million in cap space, it is unlikely any team is willing to take an expensive chance on a cornerback who is not healthy. That leaves 2027 as the more realistic decision window — and even then, the options are bleak.
According to Over the Cap, the Bears would incur a dead-cap hit of $12.5 million and free up only $800,000 in cap space if they were to release Gordon in 2027 with a post-June 1 designation.
Given that, the Bears are better off still hoping that Gordon returns at some point.
Bears CB Kyler Gordon Turns Heads With Workout Video Amid Injury