There's nothing like a mother's love and those sentiments reign true in Melvin Gordon's household. Yet when it comes to football, Carmen Gordon, the rookie's mother, believes in tough love.
"She thinks she's a coach," Gordon told ESPN.
Carmen has been following her son's career since he started playing youth football and she doesn't plan on stopping now that her son is slated to be the Chargers starting running back.
Gordon's mother frequently attends the running back's practices and analyzes her son's performance in dialogue between the two after the training session concludes.
Ollie Wilson is the running back coach in San Diego, but Gordon's mother seems to know a thing or two about what it takes to be a professional football player.
"This is a new game, and he's got to learn it. This is what they do for a living, so you either have to sink or swim," she said.
That is what you call keeping it real. But she even took it a step further. Carmen won't wear Melvin's No. 28 jersey until he earns it.
"You've got to show me a little something, but it won't be this year. So you might see me in the stands, but I won't have the jersey on," she said. "I did the same thing in college because I just want to hear what people are saying."
Gordon not only has to meet the expectations of being a highly touted first-round pick, but more importantly he has to meet the standards of his mother.
We expect Gordon to be a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2015. The running back has the benefit of being in an offense that features Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates (suspended for four games), Keenan Allen and an above average offensive line.
Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson is impressed with Gordon thus far in training camp, but apparently the rookie has a ways to go to meet his mother's stamp of approval.
Follow Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.
