Khalil Mack is reminding everybody that he is one of the single-most dangerous pass rushers in professional football. In addition to having 3.5 sacks through five games (on pace for 11), he also has 27 pressures. Suffice to say the man has been nearly unblockable since the season began. That is why it’s somebody surprising nobody has come up with a great nickname for the Chicago Bears star. Well actually somebody has. That person was Kyle Long.
The revelation came courtesy of the former Pro Bowl guard’s brother Chris Long. On his Green Light podcast, the former two-time Super Bowl champion discussed Mack’s dominant evening against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Specifically how he delivered a “Welcome to the NFL” moment to rookie right tackle Tristan Wirfs.
He lived up to the nickname brother Kyle gave him when they played together.
“Listen the kid played a decent game from what I saw. Now I gotta go back and watch again. But Mack has the coolest pre-snap close-up in primetime. You know what I’m talking about. When they zoom in on a rusher in his stance on 3rd down or in a big situation? Khalil Mack has by far the most badass one.
Probably followed by Za’Darius Smith. Not far behind but Khalil Mack is fucking Bane. You know that’s what my brother called him when he played with him in Chicago. He said, ‘That dude’s like Bane.'”
"When they zoom in on him in primetime.. you know somebody's about to get that work." – @JOEL9ONE
Few things in this world that are scarier than @FiftyDeuce on 3rd down.
New #GreenLight Podcast out now. pic.twitter.com/uijTAghvJb
— Green Light with Chris Long (@greenlight) October 10, 2020
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Leave it to Kyle Long to deliver the perfect Mack nickname
For those people out there who aren’t into the pop culture mainstream, Bane is the name of a classic villain from the Batman universe. He’s a mercenary assassin known for his freakish brute strength created by an experimental drug called Venom. His debut is one of the most memorable in comics history, literally breaking Batman’s back in a fight.
That is a fitting description of Mack. One of the hallmarks of his career is his brute strength, often plowing over or throwing aside tackles as if they were body pillows. The close-ups of him in primetime do fit that Bane-like image with the dark mask and foreboding expression. This is something Bears fans need to make a regular thing.