Former Chargers 1st Round Pick Retires With Team

Is Jim Harbaugh The Real Life Ted Lasso?

Once Gordon entered the league, he immediately assumed the starting RB role for the Chargers, making it to two Pro-Bowl selections in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

He finished his five-year Chargers career with 1059 attempts, 4240 rushing yards, and 36 TDs (4.0 Y/A), along with 224 receptions, 1873 receiving yards, and 11 TDs in the passing game.

Fallout With Chargers

Gordon made waves during the 2019 NFL season by holding out for 3 games, as he was searching for a contract extension with the Chargers and then general manager Tom Telesco.

His holdout ultimately ended once he and his team realized the Chargers weren’t budging, as well as the fact that undrafted RB Austin Ekeler was playing phenomenally in his absence.

When talking about this saga in his career, this is what he had to say, “I mean, it was tough, but I definitely felt like I ruined some relationships … Obviously, you try your best to kind of put that aside and go out there and still give it your all. That’s what I tried to do.”

His unceremonious exit the following season paved the way for Ekeler to become the starting RB for the Chargers. It also inadvertently highlighted to the rest of the league the contractual leverage they had on running backs in particular, due to how injury-prone and replaceable the position was.

Back Half of Career

Gordon ended up signing with the Denver Broncos on a 2-year $16 million contract, joining former Wisconsin Badger teammate QB Russel Wilson, in the hopes of a change of scenery. After an up-and-down tenure with the Broncos, he was released in late November by the team after 3 seasons.

He capped off his AFC West tour with the Kansas City Chiefs, signing onto their practice squad a week later. He ultimately won Super Bowl LVII (57) as a member of their team in 2022, though he never played a game for them.

Gordon finished his career with the Baltimore Ravens, playing 4 games for them, moving across the active roster and practice squad throughout the season.

Thank You, Melvin Gordon

Despite his tumultuous end with the team, he was still one of the best offensive playmakers the Chargers had alongside other greats in QB Philip Rivers, TE Antonio Gates, and WR Keenan Allen during the mid-2010s.

He finishes his 9-year NFL career with 1593 attempts for 6543 yards, and 56 TDs (4.1 Y/A), on the ground, while adding 312 receptions, 2513 yards, and 14 TDs through the air.

Congratulations on a phenomenal career, Melvin Gordon, and enjoy retirement life. BOLT UP!