Nothing lasts for long in the NFL, and no position embodies this truth more than running back. The gratuitous violence in the trenches wears on ball carriers, who are often 100 lbs. lighter than the men dragging them to the ground. If the back is so fortunate to break into the open field, one wrong cut can slice into an ACL, altering a career’s trajectory.
If a back survives the churn and finds his way to an overdue payday, one mistake can change everything. Which brings us to Melvin Gordon, who was arrested for driving under the influence four days before the Broncos’ game against Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots.