There are plenty of opinions surrounding what Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace has done through his tenure thus far. Some think he’s doing great. Others feel he hasn’t done enough. One thing can’t be argued though. From the beginning, its been clear Pace had a series of goals in mind. He wanted to build this team through the draft, using free agency merely as a way to plug holes and finally settle the quarterback position. However, guard Kyle Long believes the construction goes deeper than that.
One of the things that tore the Bears apart back in 2014 was inter-locker room divisions. The roster was overrun by several players known for their selfish attitudes. Tight end Martellus Bennett and wide receiver Brandon Marshall being two of the most prominent names to fit that description. The team crumbled and has since endured one of the toughest stretches in franchise history.
Long applauds Pace’s vision to get away from those days by going out of his way to target players more interested in the success of their teammates than themselves.
the thing i love about the roster that pace has put together is all the guys get along great and were willing to prepare and rehab not for ourselves but for one another. i know everything i do directly impacts tarik, eddie jackson, akiem hicks, jordan howard, mitch, etc etcetcetc
— Kyle (@Ky1eLong) March 18, 2018
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Kyle Long is a perfect example of Pace’s goal of an unselfish team
Few men on the team can understand this mentality better than Long. From the beginning, the three-time Pro Bowl guard made it clear his personal gains did not matter. He was in it for the success of the Chicago Bears. Just look at what he’s endured since he was drafted in 2013. He was asked to play three different positions from left guard to right guard and right tackle.
If that weren’t enough, how about what he’s put himself through this off-season? Long has endured three different surgeries to repair his battered body including ones to his shoulder and neck. He’s putting himself through this and the rehab to follow in order to get himself ready to put that body through even more.
Why? He wants to win football games and be there for his teammate. It’s not a coincidence that Pace moved quickly to make him one of the highest-paid guards in the NFL. Players like him set the tone for the rest of the team, demanding others follow his lead. Knowing such a core is coming together with guys like Trubisky, Howard, Hicks, and Jackson has to get people excited about the future.
