Chris Long retires

Eagles' Chris Long announces retirement after 11 NFL seasons https://t.co/ZxAhUUfZ2l

— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) May 19, 2019

Jim Nagy@JimNagy_SB
People often ask who my favorite player I ever scouted is and Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) is on the short list. Also the best Combine interview I’ve ever sat in on. Can’t wait to see the societal impact that Long and @DougBaldwinJr have on our country in the future. True leaders.

PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
Congrats to former #Rams EDGE Chris Long on an illustrious career! In his 8 years with the Rams, he tallied 395 pressures, 56 sacks, 151 tackles, 7 forced fumbles, and 164 stops!

Chris Long reflects on time with Rams, ‘carnage’ in St. Louis

Cameron DaSilva

Chris Long reflects on time with Rams, 'carnage' in St. Louis

In 11 NFL seasons, Chris Long experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. He reached the pinnacle of the sport, but also knew what it felt like to miss the playoffs eight years in a row without a single winning record.

The former No. 2 overall pick announced his retirement over the weekend, leaving the game at the age of 34. With two Super Bowl rings and 70 career sacks, he should feel extremely satisfied with what he accomplished in the NFL – particularly off the field, winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year award last season.

In Peter King’s Monday morning column for NBC Sports, Long reflected on his career, including his time in St. Louis. In eight years with the Rams, he never made the playoffs, nor did he ever experience a winning season.

“I learned so much in my career. Getting drafted second overall, and going to St. Louis, and the fact that we were losing, I just thought, I am not gonna fold. I am not a loser. I am gonna be a bright spot. I am gonna give these fans, who I deeply appreciate for their dedication, the respect they deserve. Anyone playing in that era in St. Louis knows how bad it was at times. It was carnage, in so many ways. It was a test of my will. Do I get irritated by the no-Pro Bowl thing, never making a Pro Bowl? Yeah, I do. Fifty sacks in the first six years, with no one watching, on a bad team. I just felt the narrative should be, That kid panned out. But that’s okay—it was a labor of love. I have zero regrets.”

Long had a whopping 54.5 sacks with the Rams, including a career-high 13 in 2011. He was a consistent playmaker on St. Louis’ defense, and excluding his injury-riddled 2014 season, Long was almost always on the field. Surprisingly, he never made the Pro Bowl, but his numbers speak for themselves.

He eventually reached the promised land in New England and Philadelphia, winning back-to-back Super Bowls following the 2016 and ’17 seasons. His time in St. Louis wasn’t filled with glory or winning, but it did teach him a lot, including what it takes to overcome adversity.