Melvin Gordon shares Chargers’ Super Bowl chances with advice for Omarion Hampton: ‘This is your time’

Football will be back soon, and Melvin Gordon has enough reasons to be excited about it. In an exclusive interview with Bolavip, the legendary running back discussed his upcoming induction into the University of Wisconsin-Madison‘s Hall of Fame, his expectations for the Badgers, and also explained why the Los Angeles Chargers can make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

Gordon, 33, admitted missing football “every day“, and it makes sense. He had already made a name for himself before entering the NFL, with a memorable senior year in college. In 2014, Gordon earned unanimous All-American honors as well as the Doak Walker Award as the top college running back after leading the NCAA in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

It explained why the Chargers (still in San Diego by then) drafted him 15th overall in 2015, and Gordon didn’t let the franchise down. A two-time Pro Bowler (2016, 2018), he also spent time with the Denver Broncos (2020-2022), Kansas City Chiefs (2022), and Baltimore Ravens (2023) before retiring on a one-day contract as a Charger. Flash-forward to 2026, Gordon can look back on his career with plenty of pride as an emotional tribute from his alma mater awaits.

Melvin Gordon reflects on Wisconsin days, reveals expectations for 2026 Badgers

Bolavip: What can you tell us about life after retirement, and what are you currently doing after football?

Melvin Gordon: I golf a lot, man. I golf every day. And then, while I’m not golfing out, just working with different brands. Working with Kickstand Cocktails, just trying to grow my brand, man. Just trying to grow my brand and stay active, and not just sit on the couch and be thinking about football all day.

Melvin Gordon played for the Chargers from 2015 to 2019.

Bolavip: Do you miss football?

Melvin Gordon: Every day.

Bolavip: And what does it mean to you to be inducted into the Badgers’ Hall of Fame? What do you remember about those years in college?

Melvin Gordon: It means everything to me. I mean, I’m a Wisconsin kid, so I just remember Coach B telling me, “you come here, you’ll be in a position to be remembered forever.” And for that to be a reality for me, it’s been a lot of players that have come through Wisconsin, and now I had this opportunity. So it’s not something that I take lightly. It’s a blessing, man. I’m blessed to be honored in front of a lot of my peers, and a lot of my Wisconsin natives.

Bolavip: Wisconsin faced tough opponents last season. How do you see the program and what are your expectations this year?

Melvin Gordon: Every year I expect us to be good. Now every year, your team might not meet expectations or whatever. I mean, you see the Alabama fans, that’s just for an example. They didn’t have the season that they wanted. But I expect us to be well, I expect us to be good.

I expect us, especially with our schedule, to be able to compete and get in the playoffs. I want us to get in the playoffs. We should have an opportunity to get in the playoffs. We will handle our business against Notre Dame, I think we’ll be good.

I think we have a quarterback that can play throughout the year. I think we’ll be able to win some football games, put ourselves in a position to have our opportunity. I think we’ll be good. I’m excited. They’ve been taking a lot of heat, no one believes in them, and I think that’s the best route to take to get to the playoffs, being doubted.

Philip Rivers’ unexpected NFL comeback in 2025

Bolavip: What was it like to see Philip Rivers come back and play last year in the NFL?

Melvin Gordon: It was dope. I mean, Phil is one of my good friends, man. He was one of my favorite teammates. He’s so competitive, so fiery. He’s just one of those guys that everybody wants to play for, and I was rooting for him to come out and do that.

I don’t think people understand how hard that is. It’s hard being out a certain amount of years and then coming back, and then having to be put in as far as the captain of the team and you leading the ship.

So to be out and come and do that, I was hoping they won because they would have been able to go up against the Chargers in the playoffs, and I think that would have made just good TV and it’d been good for reporters, that’s one of those moments you hope that everybody get a chance to talk about.

So it didn’t happen, but I was glad he was able to go out there and do his thing, and also renew his years on his medical pensions that the NFL got to give him. That was good too, for him and his family.

Expectations on 2026 Chargers and advice for Omarion Hampton

Bolavip: How do you see the Chargers now with this quarterback-coach duo, and how much different do you see this franchise compared to your years on the team?

Melvin Gordon: I mean, it’s always different. Every team got different players, different coaches, different different makeup. This team is definitely not the same as ours. I mean, you still got players like Derwin James and Denzel Perryman that played there when I was there, but it’s just a different makeup.

And [Jim] Harbaugh, we expect him to come in and be great. He’s won at every team that he’s been a part of, and I don’t expect anything less. I was just there, I did some interviews with them and I was able to watch them practice, and I’m excited.

I’m excited, you know, they’re not like really crazy, heavy hitter names, but you don’t need that. You just need a team full of guys that just want it more than the next team. So it’s just a big camaraderie, that’s what football is. In the end, that’s the team. The team that knows how to play together, that’s the team that gets the furthest. So I think they’re able to do that. It’s early, but I think if we can stay away from injuries, we’ll always have a chance to get at that Super Bowl.

Bolavip: And what do you see in Omarion Hampton, another first-round pick in your position? What’s your advice for him?

Melvin Gordon: I was just talking to him. He’s really chill. He doesn’t speak too much. He’s bigger than I thought, and he’s fast. So he’s well-rounded, man. So my advice to him is just to go out there and do your thing, be who you are. Just remember why they drafted you. You don’t have to get into any comparisons with anybody.

Like I said, the makeup is different. This is your time, you’re the starting running back for the Los Angeles Chargers. Your time will come and go like everyone else’s. Like mine, like LT’s (LaDainian Tomlinson), like Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead’s, your time as a Charger will come and go. And it’s just for you to make the best of it. So, just put yourself in the best position to win, and do what you can to be in a position to win a Super Bowl, because you’ll be remembered forever.

Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Russell Wilson

Bolavip: Your journey also included a brief but very fruitful time with the Chiefs. You played for the Broncos and Ravens as well. But what was it like to work around Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and being around the team during that Super Bowl win?

Melvin Gordon: Yeah, it gave me just a different perspective of how things are supposed to be, just from their perspective. Andy Reid, he’s one of the best coaches out there, I’m not going to lie to you. I mean, just the way they ran practice, structure, everything, it just fit my style really well, and I wish I would have gone back. But it is what it is. I got me a Super Bowl and I’m blessed about that as well.

I can’t be too mad about the position that I’m put in when it comes to my career. I’ve had a chance to play with some phenomenal players and coaches. And Pat Mahomes might be one of the best football players I’ve ever seen in my life. At this point, he just needs the rings to follow suit with that.

Bolavip: You also spent time with Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson. What was it like for you?

Melvin Gordon: They’re different players. I think Lamar Jackson, he’s probably one of the better athletes I’ve ever seen in my life. But he’s really good too. They’re just different styles. They’re all different in their own way, and really it just comes down to what offensive coordinator you fit the best. What fits your system, and the way you want to run things best. And then they can all be great, because I think Mahomes does things that Lamar can and can’t do, vice versa.

And the same thing with Russell, just being able to throw on the run and different things like that, his deep ball. They’re all great in their own way. Trying to pick who’s better is really difficult because, unless you’re an offensive coordinator, you’ve just got to find the guy that fits your scheme best.

Gordon’s favorite active running backs

Bolavip: Who are your favorite running backs today?

Melvin Gordon: My favorite running back today is Jonathan Taylor. He’s probably one of my favorites. Probably Abu (Sama III), the running back Wisconsin just picked up, so I’ll be tailgating there. I’m going to be, throw me back some Kickstands, man. Just tailgate at the games with the fans, link up with them, go watch my Badgers. Win or lose, I’m in there.

But, I definitely have to go with, obviously, my Badgers, and then I’m biased with Dare Ogunbowale and Jonathan Taylor. Jonathan Taylor’s my number one back right now.

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