Retirement just didn't suit Kyle Long, did it? No. It didn't. And now, one week after his return to the NFL, the three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman opted to ink a one-year, $5 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Former Bears' Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long, who came out of retirement this off-season, is signing a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with the Kansas City Chiefs, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2021
Long hasn't been active since week 4 of 2019, as late-career hip injuries forced him into an early break. But that didn't seem to scare any squads away, as Sirius XM's NFL insider Adam Caplan reported at least 10 teams had some sort of interest in the star.
The Chiefs are in the middle of rebuilding their offensive line after the releases of stalwart starters Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher. Earlier in the week, Kansas City signed former New England Patriots OL Joe Thuney to a five-year, $80 million deal. But there's little risk with Long, who's apparently as strong and healthy as he's been in months:
Three-time Pro Bowl OL Kyle Long is returning to the NFL. He is 315 lbs., healthy, happy, nasty, and shredded, and has signed with Jeff Nalley of Select Sports Group.
— Macon (@MaconPlays) March 9, 2021
Protecting perennial Pro Bowl QB Patrick Mahomes has been the top priority for Kansas City in this offseason, despite the cap restructure, and Long's deal is beyond affordable. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Mahomes went 16-0 last season in starts where he didn't face pressure on more than half of his dropbacks, but went 0-2 in games he did.
Those losses? A regular-season defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders, and a Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Perhaps Long is the missing piece.
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