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At a turning point in their season heading into Week 4, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed one of the league’s most mercurial boom-or-bust talents in a move that could make a huge impact on the team’s outlook moving forward. The addition of Josh Gordon to their practice squad is an indication that Brett Veach and Andy Reid see more potential in their team than has been capitalized on through three games.
Gordon has made his share of mistakes in the past, and history would suggest that his presence in Kansas City will be short-lived, but that shouldn’t dissuade fans from being invested in his inclusion to the Chiefs’ roster. Gordon hasn’t played a full season since 2013, when he led the NFL in receiving. Over the years, he’s found himself in a limited role with Cleveland, New England, and Seattle in short but productive stints with each team.
The Chiefs’ ability to take a chance on a player like Gordon, or Le’Veon Bell or LeSean McCoy in years previous, is tied inexorably to their faith in the coaching staff, specifically head coach Andy Reid. He’s been able to engage with his players in productive ways that facilitate maximum production and minimal drama. All of Gordon’s issues as far as availability have, infamously, been tied to the league’s substance abuse policy. It should still be a concern that Reid and his crew will need to rectify to get real production out of the veteran receiver.
It is worth noting that Reid has been in tricky situations with star players throughout his career, most notably with another volatile receiver in his time in Philadelphia; Terrell Owens. The Eagles reached Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004 with major help from Owens’ All-Pro production that year, and Reid navigated the affair as well as he could to give Philadelphia a legitimate shot at something special. He got the absolute most that anyone could have hoped to get out of Owens in 2004 and 2005.
Reid has done nothing but grow as a coach, and ostensibly a person, in the 15 years it has been since he was coaching Owens on the sideline at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly. He should be able to use that experience to make the most of whatever he can get out of Gordon this season.
On paper, the pairing of Gordon and Reid is a match made in heaven, and with the Chiefs looking on the verge of collapse in recent weeks, Monday’s signing could prove to be a season-altering event that nobody ever saw coming.
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