Tag: Kyle Long retirement

Kyle Long says stepping away was ‘easiest decision I’ve ever made’

Bears OL Kyle Long said stepping back from the NFL was the easiest decision he’s ever made as he didn’t recognize the player on film.

While many anticipated that Kyle Long wouldn’t return to the Bears in 2020, his retirement still came as a bit of a shock considering his long tenure in Chicago.

But when Long joined Ian Rapoport on Rapoport and Friends, he said that the decision was an easy one considering how things had transpired for him as an athlete.

“It was the easiest decision I’ve ever made,” he said. “Because I didn’t recognize the guy on film. I was an ass-kicker … there became a point where I couldn’t do that anymore.”

Injuries are the reason that Long is hanging up his cleats, and they’re also the most frustrating part about his time in Chicago. A three-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2014, Long was one of the best guards in the NFL when he was healthy.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to stay healthy over the last four seasons. This was the fourth straight season that Long was placed on injured reserve, and he hasn’t played an entire season since 2015.

Could Long play more?

“Absolutely,” he said.

But that remains to be seen. Although, Long wouldn’t necessarily rule out a return to football after a hiatus where he can take some time to get healthy.

“It’s nice to be able to have a break,” Long said. “And I keep hearing the word ‘retired’ and you know, the air quotations ‘retirement’ and what that entails, and I think I’m more on hiatus trying to figure out what is next.”

If Long were to return to football, he made it clear that he would only ever play for the Bears.

“They did it right,” Long said about how the Bears gave him every opportunity in his career. “And I want to do it right by them. I’ll never wear another set of colors than navy and orange.”

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How Kyle Long’s exit from Chicago affects Bears’ salary cap in 2020

With Kyle Long’s career done in Chicago, the Bears will have to find a replacement at RG, but they’ll benefit in terms of the salary cap.

Kyle Long has called it a career — at least in Chicago. Although his tweets indicate that the seven-year veteran is indeed calling it a career.

Long was one of the best guards in the NFL when he was healthy. But ultimately, injuries were his downfall. Long finished his last four seasons on injured reserve, including this past season when his season was cut short with a hip injury following Week 5.

So how does Long’s impending Chicago departure affect the Bears moving forward in 2020? Aside from having to find a replacement at right guard, the Bears will benefit in terms of the salary cap.

Long, whose contract was set to expire following the 2020 season, was due to make $9.6 million this upcoming season.

If the Bears release Long before March 18, they’ll free up $8.1 million in cap space — $6 million against the 2020 cap and $2.1 million on roster and workout bonuses — with a dead money hit of $1.5 million.

The Bears are projected to have roughly $16 million in cap space for 2020, according to Spotrac.

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Twitter reacts to Kyle Long stepping away from the Bears

Twitter had plenty to say following Bears RG Kyle Long’s tweets that indicated he is hanging up his cleats.

While it was news that felt inevitable this offseason, that didn’t make Kyle Long’s announcement that he was stepping away from the Chicago Bears and the NFL any less heartbreaking.

Long’s potential retirement is bittersweet. On the one hand, Long was one of the best guards in the league when he was healthy, but he was an even better teammate and leader. But on the other hand, Long struggled with injuries later in his career, and he put his body on the line.

Long took to Twitter to confirm that he’ll be stepping away from the game to focus on his body, and he shared his thanks to the fans for their support during his time with the Bears.

As you can imagine, Twitter had plenty to say following Long’s tweets that indicated he was hanging up his cleats.