After more than 20 years without football, the city of Los Angeles will now boast two teams for the 2017 NFL season. There is the homegrown team in the Rams whose roots continue to run deep within the local community and the Chargers, who in an unlikely turn of events, find themselves as the future co-tenants in Inglewood.
Naturally, there will be a number of fronts which these teams will look to compete with each other. One of them is shaping up to be a running back showdown between Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon. However, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN, Gordon is denying any notion of a rivalry:
“It’s what you guys make it,” Gordon said. “At the end of the day, we’re both going out there trying to be the best back and trying to prove that we’re the best back. It’s not just Todd that I have to worry about — there’s a lot of great backs that I’m trying to beat and outshine.
The two backs were both taken in the top-15 of the 2015 NFL Draft. Gurley vastly outshined Gordon during their perspective rookie years, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors. However, the tables were turned last season after Gordon earned a Pro Bowl invitation while Gurley endured a sophomore slump.
Though he will not admit to a rivalry, Gordon understands their shared past will be a topic of debate for years to come. Despite Gurley’s down season, he still holds the edge over Gordon in pretty much every rushing category. Not to mention things are looking up for the team’s workhorse with a brand new coaching staff and a revamped offensive line.
