Wikipedia

Kyle Long

Kyle Howard Long (born December 5, 1988) is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and the younger brother of former defensive end Chris Long, he played college football at the University of Oregon following stints with Florida State University and Saddleback College. He was selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, where he played his first seven seasons.[1][2]

Kyle Long
refer to caption
Long with the Chicago Bears in 2019
No. 75
Position:Guard
Personal information
Born: (1988-12-05) December 5, 1988 (age 35)
Ivy, Virginia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:313 lb (142 kg)
Career information
High school:St. Anne's-Belfield (Charlottesville, Virginia)
College:
NFL draft:2013 / round: 1 / pick: 20
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:77
Games started:76
Stats at Pro Football Reference

During his Bears tenure, Long received three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2013 to 2015 and one second-team All-Pro selection in 2014. After retiring in 2019, he returned with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season, but did not play with them due to injuries.

Early life

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Long was born in Ivy, Virginia.[3] He attended St. Anne's-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia. He played both baseball and football. He was selected to the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.[4] He was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 23rd round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and honored his commitment to Florida State University.[5]

College career

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In January 2009, Long left Florida State for academic reasons following an arrest for DWI.[6] In 2010, Long enrolled at Saddleback College, a community college in Mission Viejo, California, and returned to playing football. During his first year he played defensive end, recording 16 tackles and one quarterback sack. In 2011, he switched to the offensive line. On December 18, 2011, he committed to play for the Oregon Ducks football team, and subsequently transferred to the University of Oregon.[7] During the 2012 season, he started six of twelve games for the Ducks on the offensive line. He appealed for an extra year of college eligibility, but his appeal was denied by the NCAA.[8] On March 9, 2024 Long was inducted into the California Community College Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 6+1⁄8 in
(1.98 m) 		313 lb
(142 kg) 		33+3⁄8 in
(0.85 m) 		11 in
(0.28 m)		 4.94 s 4.63 s 7.83 s 28 in
(0.71 m)		 8 ft 11 in
(2.72 m)
All values from NFL Scouting Combine[9]

Chicago Bears

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Long at Bears training camp in 2014

Long was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 20th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.[10][11] He was the first guard to be drafted by the team in the first round since Roger Davis in 1960.[12] Long signed on May 17, the last member of Chicago's 2013 draft class to do so.[13]

Long attended the rookie minicamp from May 10–12, but missed much of the offseason program due to a league rule prohibiting rookies from working out until their college class graduates. He returned to team activities on June 17.[14] Long started the 2013 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals at right guard, becoming the first rookie in team history to start a season opener at the position in the Super Bowl era.[15] On January 8, 2014, Long was named to Pro Football Focus' All-Rookie Team.[16] He was subsequently named to NFL.com's All-Rookie Team on January 15.[17] On January 20, 2014, he earned a spot in the 2014 Pro Bowl due to the injury of original Pro Bowl left guard Mike Iupati in the 2014 NFC Championship Game.[18] Long became the first Bears rookie to make the Pro Bowl since Johnny Knox in 2009. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[19]

He made the Pro Bowl again following the 2014 season and was also named as a second-team All-Pro guard.

At the start of the 2015 season, Long made the switch from guard to tackle. He started all 16 regular season games in 2015 and was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl.

On March 10, 2016, the Bears signed right tackle Bobby Massie from the Arizona Cardinals, and Long was moved back to guard.[20] On April 15, 2016, the Bears exercised the fifth-year option on Long's rookie deal, a move that would have kept Long under his original contract through 2017.[21]

On September 7, 2016, Long signed a four-year $40 million contract extension with the Bears through 2021.[22]

Long suffered multiple injuries during the 2016 season. He played the first seven games of the season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.[23] He missed the Bears' Week 8 contest against the Minnesota Vikings due to a strained triceps.[24] Long then severely injured his right ankle two weeks later against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was carted off the field.[25] He was placed on injured reserve on November 15.[26]

On December 5, 2017, Long was placed on injured reserve after aggravating a shoulder injury in Week 13, while also being bothered by ankle and finger injuries throughout the season.[27]

 
Long during his final season with the Bears

Long started the first eight games of the 2018 season, but suffered a foot injury in Week 8 against the New York Jets and was ruled out 6–8 weeks just a few days later. He was placed on injured reserve on November 3, 2018.[28] He was activated off injured reserve on December 29, 2018.[29]

Early in 2019, Long suffered a hip injury that forced him to miss the Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings.[30] Although he returned for the following week's Oakland Raiders game, the injury persisted and he was placed on injured reserve on October 14.[31]

Long announced his retirement from professional football on January 6, 2020.[32] The Bears declined his contract option for 2020, making him an unrestricted free agent on March 18, 2020.[33]

Kansas City Chiefs

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On March 18, 2021, Long signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, after deciding to come out of retirement.[34] He injured his knee during OTAs on June 10.[35] Long was placed on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) on August 31, due to the injury.[36] He was activated on November 30. Long was put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on December 21.[37] He was activated on December 27.[38] Long did not play a single snap for the Chiefs, largely due to his knee injury and the emergence of rookie guard Trey Smith.

Personal life

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Long is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and the younger brother of retired defensive end Chris Long.[39]

He is a part-owner of esports team Mode Motorsports in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series,[40] and as of September 16, 2020, co-hosts (with Paul Swan) a weekly talk show on NASCAR.com's YouTube channel.[41] In 2020, Long became a studio analyst for CBS Sports Network's That Other Pregame Show.[42]

References

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  1. ^ "NFL Draft Scout". NFL Draft Scout. September 21, 2006. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  2. ^ "CBS NFL Draft". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Pompei, Dan (April 27, 2013). "All in the family for Longs". Chicago Tribune. ISSN 1085-6706. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  4. ^ url=http://www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com/players/
  5. ^ "Chicago White Sox Draft Kyle Long". Newsplex.com. June 6, 2008. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  6. ^ Barnes III, Lindsay (January 8, 2009). "Kyle Long, son of Howie, busted for DWI, leaves college". The Hook. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  7. ^ "Kyle Long commits to Oregon". Dailyprogress.com. December 18, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  8. ^ Miller, Ted (December 19, 2012). "NCAA denies Oregon OG Long's appeal". ESPN. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  9. ^ "Kyle Long Draft Profile". National Football League. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  10. ^ "2013 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  11. ^ Farrar, Doug (April 25, 2013). "Chicago Bears select Oregon OT Kyle Long with the 20th overall pick". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  12. ^ Mayer, Larry (April 29, 2013). "Who was last guard Bears picked in first round?". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  13. ^ "Bears Sign Four-Year Deal With Draft Pick Kyle Long". WBBM-TV. May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  14. ^ Mayer, Larry (June 20, 2013). "Long thrilled to rejoin fellow rookies at Halas Hall". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on June 23, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  15. ^ Mayer, Larry (September 5, 2013). "Kyle Long focusing on task at hand". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  16. ^ Mayer, Larry (January 8, 2014). "Long named to PFF All-Rookie Team". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  17. ^ Brandt, Gil (January 15, 2014). "Eddie Lacy, Keenan Allen, Ziggy Ansah make All-Rookie Team". National Football League. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  18. ^ Biggs, Brad (January 20, 2014). "Bears' Jennings, Long named to Pro Bowl". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  19. ^ "2013 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  20. ^ Dickerson, Jeff (March 10, 2016). "Chicago Bears' Kyle Long embraces move back to right guard". ESPN. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  21. ^ Tribune, Chicago (April 15, 2016). "Bears exercise contract option to keep Kyle Long through 2017". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  22. ^ Mayer, Larry (September 7, 2016). "Long inks new deal through 2021". ChicagoBears.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  23. ^ Schefter, Adam (September 11, 2016). "Bears guard Kyle Long to play season with torn labrum in left shoulder". ESPN. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  24. ^ "Bears' Long, Sitton out for Vikings game because of injuries". USA Today. October 31, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  25. ^ Neveau, James (November 14, 2016). "Kyle Long Out for Rest of Season: Report". NBC Chicago. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  26. ^ Mayer, Larry (November 15, 2016). "Bears put Long on IR, activate Wilson". ChicagoBears.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2017.
  27. ^ Mayer, Larry (December 5, 2017). "Bears put veterans Long, Unrein on IR". ChicagoBears.com.
  28. ^ Mayer, Larry (November 3, 2018). "Bears place Long on IR, promote Mizzell". ChicagoBears.com.
  29. ^ Mayer, Larry (December 29, 2018). "Roster Moves: Long activated for regular-season finale". ChicagoBears.com.
  30. ^ Finley, Patrick (September 29, 2019). "Bears' Akiem Hicks, Roquan Smith, Kyle Long out against Vikings". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  31. ^ "Bears put Kyle Long on IR, promote Abdullah Anderson". The Washington Post. AP. October 14, 2019. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  32. ^ "Bears guard Long, 31, 'stepping away' from NFL". ESPN. January 6, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  33. ^ "NFL Transactions March 2020". NFL.com. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  34. ^ "Chiefs Sign Guard Kyle Long". Chiefs.com. March 18, 2021.
  35. ^ "Former Bear Kyle Long injured in OTAs". NBCSports.com. June 10, 2021.
  36. ^ "Chiefs Announce Roster Moves to Meet NFL-Mandated 53 Players". Chiefs.com.
  37. ^ "Kansas City Chiefs add Tyreek Hill, 6 others to reserve/COVID-19 list". ESPN. December 21, 2021.
  38. ^ "Latest update on Chiefs' COVID-19 situation heading into Week 17". USA Today. December 27, 2021.
  39. ^ "The Long Family | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". pfhof. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  40. ^ "Kyle Long and Mode Motorsports to join the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series". Mode Motorsports (Press release). Speedway Digest. March 8, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  41. ^ "Kyle Long, Paul Swan to host weekly show on NASCAR's YouTube channel". NASCAR.com (Press release). September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  42. ^ "Kyle Long Named Studio Analyst for "That Other Pregame Show"". ViacomCBS (Press release). August 24, 2020. Archived from the original on August 25, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
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