Kyle Long has played with a lot of quarterbacks in his short NFL career. In fact, that number sits at a healthy seven going into 2018. It’s safe to say the veteran guard has seen the full range of personalities and talents at the position. He suited up with the enigmatic Jay Cutler and his gunslinging ways. Then he went to battle with career backup Josh McCown. Now for the first time, he’s learning what it’s like to protect a top five draft pick in Mitch Trubisky.
That experience was limited to just seven games in 2017. Long was beset by multiple injuries that eventually landed him out for the season. Those injuries required three different surgeries over the past few months to fix. Yet even in that time, the 29-year old hasn’t lost his enthusiasm for the future.
If anything Long has grown more and more excited by the day. Part of it is the refreshing message brought about by new head coach Matt Nagy. However, the bulk of it is his brief but eye-opening experience with the Bears’ young quarterback.
Kyle Long talks differently about Mitch Trubisky than any other
The thing to remember about Long is he’s a great teammate. He’ll defend anybody who wears a Bears uniform in front of the cameras or on social media. He was one of the biggest Cutler supporters during the three years they were together and had great things to say about him. Yet it’s clear that Trubisky has made a far more profound impression in such a short time. Long explained during a recent interview.
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“I can’t put words to it,” Long said. “What Mitch Trubisky was born with was something that not a lot of people were born with. I can’t explain it. When you’re around him, you feel it and it’s real. Quiet confidence and a sense of calm and comfortability with the situation, any situation he’s put in.”
There were certainly glimpses of that during last season. Trubisky would make big plays in certain situations. Plays that only a handful of quarterbacks could’ve possibly made. The fact he did it with so little experience and playing in a rudimentary offensive system? That makes it all the more impressive. Now Trubisky has games under his belt, an advanced new system and weapons to execute it with. Long, like others, see big things on the horizon.
He can’t wait to get started.
