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Kyle Long Story Involving Matt Nagy Sheds Light on Fracture Between Team and Player

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ron Luce | Last updated 2/10/23

On the latest episode of Green Light with Chris Long, former Bears guard Kyle Long shared a story that led to the end of his tenure with the team.

When thinking about Kyle Long's tenure with the Chicago Bears, you think of a lineman who had one of the best runs at the position in team history. Three straight Pro Bowl appearances at two different positions, a staple for the team from 2013-19 , and an overall monster of a human defined Long's stay in Chicago. That said, Long shared a story from the 2019 season that feels like the moment his bond with the Bears broke under then head coach Matt Nagy. According to Long, Nagy called out the offensive line, although seemingly directed at Long, and Long nearly left mid-game because of it.

In hindsight, the story is quite comical. A massive halftime blow up followed by Nagy and Long sitting across the aisle from each other on the flight home is certainly an awkward situation that now invokes a laugh. However, it gave fans insight into why Long's love for the franchise was tainted for a few years.

That said, four games in 2019 was the end of Kyle Long's Bears tenure and NFL career. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021, but ultimately opted to walk away from the game before playing a snap with the team.

Truthfully, it feels like a bit of a slap in the face to Kyle Long. Through some bad seasons for the Bears, Long was one of the faces of the team and a successful player. Although this likely isn't the only thing that fractured Long's relationship with the Bears franchise, it is still one hell of a story to share during Super Bowl week while Nagy gets ready to stand on the Chiefs sideline this coming Sunday.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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