Very few people are blessed with the innate ability to be champions in more than one sport and Kyle Long is no doubt, one of them. Though he eventually became a footballer, currently playing with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL), he would have gone pro way back in 2008 if only he accepted to play baseball for the Chicago White Sox.
While he was in St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia, Kyle played both football (for head coach John Blake) and baseball and excelled in both sports. In football, he competed as a two-way lineman and participated as a left-handed pitcher and first baseman for the baseball team. His amazing performance in both sports earned him All-State honors in his junior, sophomore and senior years. He led the football team to back-to-back state championships in his last two seasons.
In 2008, Kyle was picked as one of the players who would represent his school in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. In the same year, his baseball talent drew the Chicago White Sox to him as the team selected him in the 23rd round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft but the young asset decided to pursue a college education and collegiate football career at Florida State University instead.
Kyle Long had a very short stay at Florida due to some academic reasons. In 2009, he enrolled at Saddleback College where he continued playing football. In his first year, he recorded 16 tackles and one quarterback sack while playing as a defensive end and moved to the offensive line in 2011. He was a reserve defensive end for 11 contests in 2010 and a left tackle for 11 games in 2011.
Again, Kyle quit playing for Saddleback and committed to play for the Oregon Ducks football team. He played 12 games for the team, starting his final 5 contests at left guard in 2012. He appealed for an extra year of college eligibility but was refused by the NCAA.
The super-talented footballer was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 2013 NFL Draft. Drafted with the 20th overall pick in the first round to play as a guard, Kyle became the first guard since 1960 to be selected by the Bears in the first round. He has continued to break and set new records both in the team and the league.
Born Kyle Howard Long in Ivy, Virginia on December 5, 1988, the success of the footballer in his chosen field is no surprise considering the fact that he comes from a family of notable sportsmen. His father, Howie Long, is a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end while his brother, Chris Long, currently plays football for the Philadelphia Eagles, also as a defensive end. He also has another brother, Howie Long Jr., who does not play but works as a scouting and personnel assistant with the Oakland Raiders.
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What is His Net Worth and How Does He Make His Money?
On May 17, 2013, Kyle Long signed a four-year contract with the Bears for roughly $8.4 million through 2016. The contract was extended by four years through 2021 and is worth $40 million, including $30 million guaranteed. While the $30 million guarantee was the highest for a guard in league history, the yearly salary made him the second-highest-paid guard in the league behind lineman Kelechi Osemele of the Versatile Raiders.
The Chicago Bears Guard has earned $33.25M over six seasons in his career, which positions him on the 349th spot among active NFL players entering 2018. His cap hit for 2018 is $8.85m and this ranks him 4th on the team’s active roster for the year while his 2019 cap hit is $8.5M, including any and all roster and signing bonuses.
As of 2018, Kyle Long is said to have an estimated net worth of $25 million.
Is He Married?
Unable to keep his new-found love a secret from the world anymore, Kyle Long decided to show her off in the most Kyle Long way possible. In July 2017, he posted a picture of himself and the lady identified as Shannon Noel Ford on Instagram with the caption, “Got tired of eating by myself”.
The red-haired beauty attended the University of South Carolina Upstate where she studied political science and broadcast journalism.
Shannon, from Gilbert, South Carolina, is a model and also a reality star. She was among the top 16 contestants in the 2012 edition of Miss South Carolina Teen USA.
Although Kyle and Shannon have been an item for a while, they are neither married nor do they have any children.
Kyle Long really looks the part of a linesman with his impressive height of 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and a weight of 143 kg (316 lbs). His long, thick arms, which he uses effectively to keep opponents at bay in pass protection, measure 33 3/8 inches while his hand is 11 inches wide.
