Chris Long Explains How Patriots’ 28–3 Super Bowl Comeback Changed His Life

The defensive end described Super Bowl LI as a fork-in-the-road moment.

Former NFL defensive end Chris Long is remembered fondly in many corners.

Virginia fans esteem him for a superb 2007 season that saw him finish 10th in the Heisman Trophy voting. St. Louis Rams holdouts can point to his eight seasons performing capably for mediocre teams. 

New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles backers, meanwhile, remember Long as a steady veteran presence on championship teams in 2016 and ’17.

On Wednesday, Long revealed to Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer that the end of his career almost unfolded very differently due to the Patriots’ comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

“There’s two different realities I live in if [former Falcons offensive coordinator] Kyle Shanahan runs the ball,” Long said on Glazer’s Unbreakable podcast. “I’d have been retired and miserable (if we lost). ... I would have never had those two years in Philly.”

Life is wild... had the patriots NOT come back down 28-3 vs Atlanta in that Super Bowl @JOEL9ONE actually was planning to retire after that game. @tombrady and the @patriots comeback changed the course of history for many. Instead of retiring Chris went on to Philly and won a… pic.twitter.com/I6V1bQjmo9

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 13, 2024

Long signed with the Eagles in March 2017 and helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LII 41–33 over New England. Off the field, his profile grew considerably, and he is now known as much for his charitable work and media endeavors as for his football career.

“I didn’t cry after the first [Super Bowl I won]. The second one I cried like a baby. It was like something happened where it was like, ‘It’s okay now,’” Long said. “You gotta break through a lot of bulls--- in to be satisfied in the NFL, right?… The release after the Philly Super Bowl, I don’t know what it was, man. I never get that feeling.”