Few things have a stranger relationship with professional football these days than marijuana. While the drug is becoming more and more legalized across the United States, it's still treated as dangerous and illegal by the NFL. This despite several current and former players speaking out on its positive uses in the treatment of pain and stress during a season. Of course this hasn't stopped many from finding ways to cheat the system. It turns out that longtime Chicago Bears leader Kyle Long was one of them.
It's no secret to anybody that Long was always a bit of a wildman. His reputation even before he got to the NFL was "colorful" to say the least. While nobody questioned his intensity and work ethic, they did fear his decision-making off the field. According to former teammate Earl Bennett, those concerns were somewhat validated. This became apparent during the Bears' road trip to Pittsburgh for a game against the Steelers.
Bennett explained on ProStyle Media how Long came to him with a unique request.
He approached me with a visibly frustrated look. We locked eyes and he proceeded to ask me a few questions, “Earl, my man you headed to eat?”, was the icebreaker. Then Kyle asked me if I had “a pack man” in the area. Being from the hood, I knew what a pack was. So I wanted to clarify we were on the same page so I asked “weed man?” Kyle responded yes and I was now confused.
No where in the world did I have “a pack man.” I was of little help to the rookie. Not sure if he found a person, but this conversation would always be one of my favorites because of the strange look he gave me when I clarified “weed man” as “a pack man.” That was the last time he asked me, and we laughed about it after the game.
Kyle Long deserves some weed after what he's been through
Honestly, no one can judge Long at this point. Playing offensive line in the NFL is a tough business. No position endures a more consistent pounding to their body than that one. The list of injuries the man has piled up in recent years is appalling from ankle, to shoulder, neck, foot, and finger issues. Now he's dealing with a persistent hip problem that has landed him on injured reserve for the fourth-straight season. If anybody deserves some weed, it's him.
Long's future in Chicago is a mystery. He'll be 32 in 2020 and the odds of him staying on the roster look bleak. His inability to stay healthy and large price tag makes it seem like an unwise decision from a business standpoint. What nobody knows for sure is whether the guard would consider playing for another team or if he would choose to retire instead.
