The New England Patriots won the Super Bowl last night and while this result wasn’t what the majority of the country wanted it isn’t without a silver lining. One of the members of the champion Patriots was former Rams defensive end Chris Long. Long had spent the previous nine seasons with the Rams after being drafted 2nd overall in 2008. During Long’s time with the Rams he was named to the all rookie team in 2009 with 54.5 sacks, and 194 total tackles. For many years he was the lone stand out on a defense that had to carry the load while the rams offense struggled. Chris Long also did a lot of work off the field, most famously when he and fellow teammate William Hayes lived among the homeless in order to raise awareness homelessness and poverty. He made the Pro Bowl four times and recorded nine forced fumbles. As time went on Long would be the cornerstone of a strong front seven that would later feature Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, and Alec Ogletree.
Unfortunately, Long’s time with the Rams would be cut short because of continuous injuries to his ankles and other lower body injuries. Once his injuries piled up and his games played shortened causing the Rams to release him in 2015. The New England Patriots snatched him up on a one year deal and not only did he bolster their defensive line but he contributed four sacks and twenty two total tackles. His Super Bowl win was made extra special because his father, Hall of Fame defensive lineman Howie Long was in attendance as part of the broadcast team for Fox. Chris Long was one of the few Rams draft picks of the last decade to actually pan out and he set the tone for the future of the franchise which had previously been only known for offense. Their defense became the star of the show and Long was the centerpiece of it all. It was bittersweet to see him make the playoffs for the first time in his career and ensure he got a ring, too bad it wasn’t with the Rams.
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