Kyle Long Promises To Fix The Bears In Heartfelt Message

Kyle Long has fast become one of the most beloved Chicago Bears of the new era. The reasons aren't hard to find. He's a second generation talent from pro football royalty. He is already a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the best guards in the NFL. To top it off he has developed one of the most entertaining social media personas of any athlete in the U.S. Perhaps the most important thing that endears him to the fans though? He's honest. The guy has never tried to hide his shortcomings both on and off the field. He takes ownership of his mistakes and always aims to be better. Losing is something he refuses to accept, lending to his trademark intensity on game days. When it happens, he tends to take it personal. Never was that clearer than on his latest Twitter rant. The 28-year old is clearly still torn up about the way the 2016 season ended for the Bears. An ugly 3-13 finish brought about by injuries and inconsistent play. Both of which he fell victim to. Long believes much of that season was the fault of him and his inability to establish a better role as leader. He vowed to take ownership of that mistake. It was quite moving.

The Kyle Long promise

What prompted this entire string? As Long said it stemmed from his time in the film room. He began to realize he wasn't executing on the field. At least not at the level expected of him. Too often he would miss a block here or there. He understands his own talent means he should be dominating all the time. The fact he hasn't was a big eye-opener. He even took responsibility for the ankle injury that ended his season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo85slSDNo4 Injuries happen in the NFL. That incident doesn't really deserve blame, but Long feels responsible anyway. Why? He feels he let his team down by not being able to finish the season. Leaders are expected to do just that. Lead the way. What does it say about him when the team finishes with the worst record of the 16-game era in franchise history? In many ways Kyle Long is much like Olin Kreutz. The former six-time Pro Bowl center was beloved in Chicago for his intensity and great play. However, it took him a long time to bridge that gap between good individual talent and good locker room leader. Don't forget six of his first seven seasons were spent missing the playoffs. Long is learning to appreciate the value of accountability just like he did. Of course Kyle is still just one man. It takes a core of leadership to lift a team to new heights. Long is currently the only proven one they have. It may take a little longer before they have the piece in place to really get this thing back on track. His vow to help only endears him further to a fan base that already loves him. If the Bears can get two or three more of his type? The team will be just fine.