While most Minnesota Vikings fans may have forgotten December 31, 2006, it will always stick out for Charles Gordon. For Gordon, a former KU football multi-position standout, the last day of 2006 was the day his childhood dream came full circle, starting in an NFL game.

Gordon started at cornerback for the Vikings in their final game of the season against the St. Louis Rams, but it wasn’t a great day to be a Vikings fan. The Vikings no. 1 ranked defense had its problems during the game, allowing the Rams to carry the ball 36 times for 168 yards and complete 19 of 31 passes total in the game. The Rams won 41 to 21 against the Vikings in Minnesota, but Gordon calls the loss an exciting learning experience.

“I’ll never forget that day because I was lined up against Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt,” Gordon said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better situation than that.

“They were veteran receivers, so they used their tricks on me, but I learned from it and it made me a better player,” Gordon said.

Facing difficulty is nothing new to Gordon, who said his career has always been about proving himself to everyone around him. He was recruited to the University as a wide receiver and debuted as a red-shirt freshman in 2003. Gordon said he never thought he was considered a top recruit when he came to the University and that his goal was to move up in the depth chart when he first arrived.

By his junior year, Gordon had made a name for himself by earning starting positions at cornerback, punt returner and wide receiver, as well as All-Big 12 and All-American honors. He became a crowd favorite with his name being chanted throughout Memorial Stadium every time he came on to Kivisto Field.

Jayhawk football was beginning to turn around and earn some credibility as a legitimate football program, when Gordon shocked most Jayhawk fans and declared for the 2006 NFL draft. Gordon said while he might have surprised Jayhawk fans, he made a difficult yet good decision.

“I debated back and forth and finally decided I was ready for the next level,” Gordon said.

He said frequent injuries he faced at the time were a major factor in his decision to move forward with his football career. Gordon had no big expectations when it came to draft day, as he had got all kinds of grades from different teams who were interested in his services and specifically what he could run.

Gordon went undrafted and while some might think he wished he hadn’t forgone his senior season, Gordon said that was never the case.

“I never regretted it. The goal was to get drafted and it hurt that I wasn’t,” Gordon said. “But it really made me recommit to getting better and focusing in on the little things that are important in football.”

Gordon said he never feared not finding a spot on an NFL roster, as he believed he had the skills to compete at the professional level. Shortly after the draft, Gordon said he and his agent talked with a dozen NFL teams, but the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Vikings were the three that he remembered showing the most interest. Ultimately, Gordon chose the Vikings because he felt they offered the best opportunity for his career.

Gordon said money was not a major factor in his decision, as he was more concerned about playing time. He said the Vikings were “the right fit” because he would be guaranteed a chance to compete for a job and have a chance to get on the field, which other teams never promised.

When Vikings training camp began, Gordon said he was doing well and thought he would have a spot on the 53-man roster, before he was sidelined with yet another injury, a tear of the meniscus in his left knee. The tear of his left knee cartilage would force Gordon to sit out in training camp and join the Vikings practice squad for the first half of the season.

He said while the practice squad was not something he had hoped for, it did benefit him. Gordon was able to nurse his knee back to full health while sharpening his skills.

“I got the chance to be 100 percent and learn the ins and outs of the Vikings defense and whole system,” Gordon said. “I got to work on my craft but was also able to have fun and it really did help me.”

On November 7, 2006, Gordon was finally called up to the active roster. He said at that point he was feeling completely healthy and that regular Vikings cornerback, Fred Smoot, had a personal commitment that prevented him from playing in the November 12 game against the Green Bay Packers.

Since 2006, Gordon has remained on the Vikings active roster. Some might think making the transition to professional football would be difficult, but Gordon said besides the speed of the game, everything else is pretty similar to other levels of football.

“It’s just football to me, it comes natural,” Gordon said. “It just boils down to can you execute the game plan better than the other team. I think I do it as well as anyone else and can produce for my team.”

Gordon said he feels established in the Vikings organization and is happy his role has gotten bigger. However, he said he still has things he needs to work on.

“Every day, people are coming to try and take my position,” Gordon said. “Just like at KU, I have to prove myself, I’m not satisfied. The goal is to crack the starting lineup constantly.”

Gordon said his career in Minnesota has been good and that has to do with the team’s chemistry. He said he thought the team took a step in right direction with a five-game winning streak towards the end of last season against the Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl champions New York Giants, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. Gordon said he thought the Vikings could make a real push towards the playoffs and a Super Bowl win in the next few years. Team chemistry has also resulted in strong friendships between teammates, such as Gordon and fellow Viking Cedric Griffin.

“We play the same spot and are battling for the same job,” Gordon said. “But there is still a good friendship there.”

Gordon said NFL players are just like any average Joe. He said they clown around in the locker room just like high school athletes would.

While Gordon is no longer on the University football roster, he said he is there in spirit and talked with some of the team before the Orange Bowl earlier this year.

“All the people who looked up to me when I was playing were calling me and asking for advice, so I felt like I was on the team,” Gordon said. “Some of them learned skills from me and I was happy for them watching the game. It touched me that they won because no one besides the team thought they were going to win.”

Gordon said he still paid attention to the football program and has been happy with how it has been improving since his departure.

“They are starting to get better recruits in and they are playing well as a team,” Gordon said. “They stepped up and are closing the gap between the competition.”

He said the University’s football program could be considered a top team in the nation.

The Orange Bowl win and an 11-1 season record last year has silenced some of Kansas’ critics and has earned Coach Mark Mangino some praise. Gordon said Mangino’s knowledge of the game prepared him for his NFL game.

“At KU, I played corner, receiver, multiple positions. I learned how to play out of position and be comfortable,” Gordon said. “I learned more from the game in college, like the ins and outs of corner.”

Adam Renfro, Lawrence junior, grew up watching KU football, from the Glen Mason era, the Terry Allen era and the present. He said Gordon will always be a highlight in KU football history.

“He is just a play-maker,” Renfro said. “Whether it was catching a pass on offense, intercepting a pass on defense, or returning a punt return for a touchdown, he made plays. He may not be the fastest player KU has ever had or the biggest, but he was one of our great play-makers.”

Gordon said he has been able to apply what he learned from college football in the professional level, but that Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress had a much different style than Coach Mangino.

“Coach Mangino is always in your face while Coach Childress is more calm and relaxed,” Gordon said.

He said Childress allowed the team to do what they wanted but let them know when improvement was needed.

Currently, Gordon is preparing for the upcoming NFL season in Lawrence while he finishes his degree this semester. He said he stays on top of his game by training with KU strength coach Chris Dawson on a regular basis. Gordon said it felt normal to be back in Lawrence, but admitted it was hard to get back to “school form” at first.

Gordon said he does get recognized while on campus, although one student didn’t believe who he was and said he was “too small to be Charles Gordon.”

Those who disagree with Gordon’s decision to go pro a year early aren’t getting under his skin.

“I gave a lot to the program,” Gordon said. “It took a lot out of me and I wanted the chance to pursue my dream.”

—Edited by Samuel Lamb