In Sunday's win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Josh Gordon scored a touchdown for the first time since the 2019 season. It was a great moment for a player who had been through several journeys and stints with different teams during his time in the NFL.
At 30 years old, Gordon is no longer the wideout who led the league in receiving yards way back in 2013. He's different now, both mentally and physically. With that said, receivers of his stature simply don't grow on trees. He has the frame to remain a threat on offense and in two of his last three games, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has thrown the ball his way at least twice. Gordon had a season-high three targets against the Raiders, scoring the aforementioned touchdown in the process. After the game, the veteran receiver was ecstatic about getting back into the endzone.
"It's exciting, it's rewarding, a dream come true," Gordon said. "It's a blessing."
Gordon mentioned that the play the Chiefs ran for him on the score had been in the works "for a couple of weeks" at practice. Throughout the process of getting acclimated to professional football again, remaining in shape and learning the Chiefs' complicated offense, the support in Gordon's corner has never wavered. Mahomes is a big part of that support system, and Gordon says the MVP-winning quarterback has been willing to work with him as he adjusts to being on the team.
"I've done it in the past a few times," Gordon said when asked about joining a team during the season. "Sometimes it feels like a whirlwind, but it's just extra time with coaches watching film or at home. Any free time I get, I'm trying to do a little extra. Just putting the time in to study the plays, study the film, the nuance, and then getting better and knowing exactly what Pat wants to do, how he wants to do things. That comes in at practice. Obviously practice there's a bunch of mistakes from me, but repetition has been the key. (Mahomes) has been patient with me and I appreciate that."
The absence of a legitimate No. 2 wide receiver has plagued the Chiefs this season. Since Sammy Watkins departed to Baltimore via free agency, the team aggressively pursued options on the open market and struck out multiple times. Mecole Hardman was given a chance to emerge, and he hasn't. Gordon was signed earlier in the season, yet he hasn't truly broken out yet either. With that said, he's making progress towards having that big game. Simply being back on the field is a serious deal for him, and scoring a touchdown is the icing on the cake. Will more targets and catches come with that? There's a handful of games left to tell.
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