Long was the Bears’ first-round draft pick in 2013 and made three consecutive Pro Bowls before the 2016 injury. And after bristling at first, he admitted the Bears were prudent to shelve him. “They’ve done me right, and I’ve done them right,” Long said. “When I told my older brother about this, I said, ‘You know, it’s so [messed] up. As far as what’s next, Long is enthusiastic, but doesn’t know where he’s headed. Without Further Ado, LETS DIVE INTO IT. He heard it rumbling down the tracks when he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in 2016 and knew he’d never be the same player. I became a man while playing in Chicago.Thank you❤️. It was time to retire. The news that many around the Chicago Bears expected came yesterday — offensive lineman Kyle Long announced his retirement.. Then he went and won two Super Bowls. “I don’t need to just throw my body in front of a train every week. Here’s what he does know: His body feels great, his mind is clear and he’s free from everything that bothered him about the all-consuming nature of his former job. Larsen also got injured and wasn’t effective when he came back and Coward didn’t play well enough to be considered an option as a starter. Long has not announced anything yet, but based on the hints that he was healthy this year and will not play anywhere else, it is fair to assume that Long is going to retire. He played in 47 out of a possible 48 games in his first three seasons. The fans did right by him, and he intends to do right by them in retirement. “Chicago has been home, and I will always have a place there,” he said. He injured his hip two weeks into the season, and the locomotive’s lights were in his eyes. I played every snap and they put me on IR.’ He’s like, ‘Kyle, are you healthy?’ And I was like, ‘No.’, “But it gives you an appreciation. We'll never pass along your email address to spammers, scammers, or the like. The news that many around the Chicago Bears expected came yesterday — offensive lineman Kyle Long announced his retirement. Kyle Long saw the same thing Bears fans did during the 2019 season. After playing in all 16 games in 2015, Long would never play more than 10 games for the rest of his career. Without much winning going on, Bears fans rooted for Long and his aggressive play. Chicago Bears: Day 3 quarterbacks to target in the 2020 NFL Draft. Unfortunate Bears News As RG Kyle Long Has Been Forced To Retire Due To His Long Injury History. It’s unfortunate he’s had a handful of injuries and he’s tried to battle through all of them. That last part is compelling. I did what I was supposed to [expletive] do. He won’t disappear. The writing is on the wall that Kyle Long will likely retire from the Chicago Bears this year. The Bears were 8-8 in his first season and 8-8 in his final season. “That doesn’t vibe right with me anymore,” Long said. But I feel bad for all the injuries he’s tried to overcome. “I would say 85 percent of the work wasn’t even football. Your privacy is safe with us. Even in that digression, Long wouldn’t cross the ultimate line in his imaginary vengeance. Chicago Bears (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images). He also believes the Bears tried to trade him. He insists he wouldn’t have caused any issues, but “I can take a hint.”. “When they found out they couldn’t trade me because I had no value, they put me on IR,” Long said. “It was clear to me that they didn’t want me in the building,” Long said. Miami Dolphins: 7-Round 2020 mock draft with Tua Tagovailoa declaring, Minnesota Vikings: Early look at Divisional Round matchup with 49ers, Chicago Bears: Offseason already off to a busy start, Bears' Eddie Jackson Agrees to 4-Year, $58M Contract; Highest Paid S in History, Chicago Bears: 5 Cornerbacks to target in 2020 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears: Standout players from Week 17 vs. Vikings. Chicago Bears: Kyle Long hints at retirement. According to Over The Cap, the Bears now have over $26 million in cap space with Long’s retirement. They accepted me. I’m no genius… but I can take a hint https://t.co/cg7mlBT15t, — Kyle Long (@Ky1eLong) December 29, 2019. They were like, ‘This is our crazy little brother Kyle, and we love the [expletive] out of him.’ ”, Kyle Long at peace with Bears, retirement as he roars into life after football. He said he’s down to 280 pounds after playing at a listed weight of 330 and told Nagy he wants a tryout at tight end. Long had a stellar career, and while it did not end the way he wanted to, he understands the business of the NFL and is ready to move on. NFL.com Digital Content Producer. Chris had injuries at the end of his St. Louis tenure, and they cut his ass. Long thought he could hold it off after arriving in Bourbonnais feeling rejuvenated, but that was fleeting. He also went on to thank former general manager Phil Emery, who drafted him, and current general manager Ryan Pace, along with former head coach Marc Trestman and current head coach Matt Nagy. It was appropriate then that Long took to Twitter to announce his retirement. He was a pleasure to watch. Not long after Kyle went on IR, it was Kruetz who reached out, suggesting that they start working out together. This choice was thoroughly thought out with counsel from his Hall of Fame father, Howie, and recently retired brother Chris. Kyle does have an option in his contract that we’ve got to look at. He described his post-football peace by saying, “Oh, dude, my chi is centered as [expletive].” He likened his breakup with the Bears to “a really smart girlfriend” ending the relationship when he couldn’t. He started out the 2018 season healthy but then suffered a foot injury that kept him out of eight games. He did come back and played in the playoff game, however. He said some might be happy and some might be sad that he steps away but that he felt lucky to be in Chicago. The Bears will save $8.1 million by letting Long and they likely have no plans to re-sign him on the cheap. Additionally, he made it to the Pro Bowl in each of those three seasons. He’d be a natural in media. He would play only for the Bears, but they don’t have a spot for him. “I have no regrets,” he said. In between, they owned a record of 31-49. Powered by Minute Media © 2020 All Rights Reserved. Some chicagoans are probably happy to hear I’m finally stepping away and getting my body right. If I’m OK with that and I can move forward — I have — and find new hobbies, watch out, world.”. The next two seasons ended on injured reserve as well, and the train’s whistle got louder. Even though he was one of the top right guards in the NFL, he moved over to right tackle in his third season and made the Pro Bowl there as well. The Bears had a difficult time replacing Long in 2019. And that’s OK. That’s the natural curve of the life of a football player. I played every snap of my final game before being put on IR. As he pieces together his future, some of the answers come easily. He also wants to use his creativity and find a field that rewards his over-the-top competitiveness. That’s about loyalty, too. After seven up and down seasons, Chicago Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long has decided to hang up his cleats, as many expected. “That’s probably what happened.”. He missed the Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings but came back for the Week 5 game in London against the Oakland Raiders. He knows the deal he took makes it easy for him to be let go. Then, around the middle of the season, he suffered a gruesome ankle injury that ended his season. Unfortunately for Long, 2019 got off to a terrible start. It was in the doctor’s office or rehabbing. But his loyalty to the Bears remains unshaken. Exits are rarely smooth, and things got messy between Long and the organization last fall. It was inevitable, no matter how hard he had fought it, he couldn’t bend the tracks. It’s a romanticized idea, but Long loves that the city embraced him as one of its own. “So I got my ass out of the building and I never came back.”, His best guess was “maybe personality stuff,” but Long had a good reputation in the locker room. “I’m as much a part of Chicago as hot beef, bro. “It’s the easiest decision I’ve ever made,” Long told the Sun-Times. Long was a very good player for the Bears, and they paid him an estimated $37 million. Kyle Long at peace with Bears, retirement as he roars into life after football. Off the field, he entertained many with his Twitter posts, being as aggressive on social media as he was on the field. “I’ve done things on the football field that not a lot of people can say they’ve done. His level of play was no longer among the top guards in the NFL. The ending was awkward, but overall it was a good run. “I don’t know if I could play for Green Bay,” he said. The injury persisted and the Bears placed him on injured reserve after he played in only four games. Long knows the business of the NFL. He looks forward to exploring interests that he has pushed aside for years. When Long came to Chicago in 2013 (first round, 20th pick overall), he became one of the lone bright spots on the team. But for all that, he still loves them. Long admits that he was healthy after playing every snap when the team ended his season. Then the injuries hit. It has been four years since Long played a full NFL season or even 10 games for that matter. He started the 2016 season playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder. That’s especially true when it comes to the physical cost of doing anything to stay on the field. He ignored it but sees now that it unmistakably signaled the end. From the outside, it looked like an ugly split with a franchise mainstay. Exits are rarely smooth, and things got messy between Long and the organization last fall. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices.