Melvin Gordon on Contract Holdout: 'I Know I Won't Miss Another Training Camp Again'

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Chargers running back Melvin Gordon might approach his contract holdout differently if he was given a chance to turn back the clock.

Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Gordon opened up on the impact his holdout has had so far on his 2019 campaign.

"I know I won’t miss another training camp again, I can tell you that," he said. "But if I was to go back, I can’t say. Just with the running back thing and all that, we want to get paid, you know. I don’t know. That’s tough."

The 26-year-old Gordon missed the entire preseason and first three weeks of the 2019 regular season while holding out and seeking a new contract. He is scheduled to make $5.6 million in 2019, which is the final season of his five-year rookie deal. 

Gordon is averaging 2.3 yards per carry and 27 yards rushing per game this season, down from 5.1 yards per carry and 73.8 yards per game in 2018. As a receiver, he had 50 receptions last season for 490 yards; this season he has nine receptions for 34 yards through three games.

Down 23-20 during Sunday's contest against the Titans, Gordon fumbled the ball at the Titans' 1-yard line with 19 seconds remaining and a chance to win the game. 

"We’re in a position right now where every win counts, every game counts, and I was a little bit more frustrated about that rather than anybody else’s opinion, just the guys," Gordan said. "We fought back to try to get back to win that game and putting the ball in my hands to win the game, which I’ve been in that situation so many times, and just come up short.

"Missing training camp and not being here, every play you want to be perfect. I missed four games, whatever the case may be, and it’s like you want to come out here and you want to show your teammates, ‘I’m still the guy. I’m that guy. I could do this. I could put the team on my back,’ and things like that," he added. "So when you go out there and you don’t make a play, it’s not that they feel different, but it’s just a pride thing."

The Chargers (2–5) will face the Bears on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.