The Chicago Bears have finally taken a real step toward getting Kyler Gordon back on the field.
Multiple Bears reporters said Gordon’s 21-day practice window has been opened, putting him on a path back after spending the first three weeks of the regular season on IR with a soft-tissue injury. It has been nearly a year since he last played, and for the first time in a long stretch, there’s actual movement instead of silence.
That matters because for months, Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles kept giving the same answer: no updates. Gordon, meanwhile, kept showing his work through video updates over the last few months, trying to let people know the rehab was moving even when the team had nothing new to say.
The timing, though, doesn’t suggest a quick return. Bears fans probably shouldn’t expect Gordon back for Week 4 against the New York Jets. Even so, opening the window at least gives Chicago a three-week runway to figure out whether he can make it back onto the field.
There’s plenty of skepticism around that, and for good reason. This isn’t the first time the Bears have had people thinking Gordon was close only for the return to stall out. Last year, there was a belief he might be ready against the Green Bay Packers in the regular season, and then nothing came of it after he warmed up.
Gordon has made it clear he’s grinding to get back, but patience has worn thin on the Bears side. A lot of fans have already moved on emotionally, especially with rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad playing lights out through the first three games. Some around the team see Muhammad as the future at nickel and don’t see much room left for Gordon.
The injury itself is what makes this whole situation so strange. A soft-tissue issue lingering this long has turned the comeback into something bigger than just a standard rehab. It has dragged on so long that it almost feels like the next step has to come from somewhere beyond the physical.
That’s why this next stretch matters so much. The Bears have invested $40 million into Gordon as part of his contract extension from the 2025 offseason, and now the organization is in wait-and-see mode.
If he doesn’t make it back within the next three weeks, it would create a major problem in Chicago. If he does, and he plays well, it could turn into one of the most dramatic comeback stories the franchise has seen.
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