Ex-Bears Pro Bowl Guard Kyle Long Decides to Unretire

Kyle Long with the Chicago Bears. Photo by John Mersits/CSM/Shutterstock (10371689y)

Three-time Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long, who previously played seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, is returning to the NFL after spending one year in retirement. The news was confirmed by Long himself to Green Light Pod’s co-host Macon Gunter.

According to Gunter, Long, who already found an agent to help him look for a new team, is healthy and ready to play.

Long retired in 2019 following a series of injuries that caused him to miss 20 games in two years. He ventured into broadcasting after, working as a studio analyst for CBS.

While he formally retired as a member of the Chicago Bears, Long will be able to pick his new team at will. Two months following his retirement, the Bears declined the 2020 option on his contract and made him an unrestricted free agent.

When healthy, Kyle Long was among the most dominant guards in the league. He earned Pro Bowl selections in each of his first three years as a pro, while also receiving Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2014.

Since 2016, however, Long struggled to remain on the field. A combination of shoulder, ankle, hip, and foot injuries limited him to just 30 games in four seasons.

Ben loves sports so much but prefers watching other people do it. He prefers not to share what teams he's supporting but he is willing to admit that Lebron James is, in fact, the king.