Kyle Long Chooses AFC Champs to End Retirement

Guard Kyle Long retired in 2019 after his seventh Bears season and a string of injuries, but he's back healthy and has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kyle Long has gone from one team using the Kansas City West Coast offense to another, with a retirement in between.

The former Bears right guard signed with the Chiefs on a deal reported to be close to $5 million after retiring in 2019 following seven seasons in Chicago.

It was rather curious Long didn't sign with the Las Vegas Raiders, the team he visited first. His father Howie is a Raiders legacy, as a hall of fame defensive lineman.

Instead, he left the Raiders and visited Andy Reid's team. Bears ran the Chiefs offense in 2018 and 2019 under Matt Nagy while Long was in Chicago, so he has a bit of a head start on learning the attack.

Long suffered through a long list of injuries starting in 2016 and it eventually led to his demise.

In 2016 he played with a torn left labrum, added a strained triceps and then suffered a severe right ankle injury when hit from behind by a teammate while blocking. After rehab, Long played in 2017 and went on injured reserve with another shoulder injury. After Nagy became coach, Long suffered a foot injury against the New York Jets in Week 8 and missed seven games before returning in the finale against the Minnesota Vikings and for the playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

A hip injury in 2019 led to diminished play by Long and eventually he went on injured reserve and decided to retire.

It was more than a bit ironic that Long has landed in Kansas City because he has been entirely critical of Matt Nagy and the Bears coaching staff since his retirement. Nagy is treated like royalty by Andy Reid and the Chiefs coaching staff, as a former member of their staff.

No word on whether Nagy put in a good word for Long with Reid, but when Long was with the Bears Nagy was entirely supportive and even let him off the hook after only a brief suspension following a practice fight in 2019 when he pounded on teammates with his helmet.

No word on whether Nagy put in a good word for Long with Reid, but when Long was with the Bears Nagy was entirely supportive and even let him off the hook after only a brief suspension following a practice fight when he pounded on teammates with his helmet.

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