Pro Roll: 3 straight for Long
Bears OT will replace Eagles’ Peters in NFL’s all-star showcase
Kyle Long didn’t always sound like a Pro Bowl right tackle.
He was the first to admit when he struggled at his new position. Long, who moved over from guard, and the Bears knew, though, that he was being asked to do something difficult — learn right tackle from scratch.
On Thursday, Long received what he considered a reward: his third consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl, which will be played Jan. 31. Long made it — as a tackle — when the Eagles’ Jason Peters withdrew because of injury.
“I made a sacrifice in my career, and this was, in a roundabout way, the reward for it,” Long said. “Unfortunately, I dealt with a lot of growing pains. As has been publi- cized, I’ve owned it and been part of the learning process and tried to be positive every day.”
Long becomes the first Bear to reach the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons since Brian Urlacher. Others to accomplish the feat include Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, Rick Casares and Harlon Hill.
His inclusion prevents the Bears from their first Pro Bowl shutout since 1999.
Long was playing a “Grand Theft Auto” video game when coach John Fox left a message.
“When a coach calls you during the offseason, you don’t know what’s going to be the case,” Long said. “I called him, and he congratu- lated me on being a Pro Bowler.”
He knows there’s work to be done. Long will train as a tackle in Scottsdale, Arizona, this offseason.
“I think the big word for me this year is ‘consistency,’ ’’ Long said.
Long liked the continuity espoused by general manager Ryan Pace this week when he promoted quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains to replace offensive coordinator Adam Gase.
“I couldn’t have been happier with the direction that Ryan decided to go in, being that he works so well with Jay [Cutler],” Long said. “He’s with him every day, all day.
“I couldn’t see Jay without him, and I couldn’t see this offense without him because of his ability to hold guys accountable. I say that over and over again about this coaching staff. It could have been said with Gase.
“But this guy will seek out a little bit of face-to-face with you just to be able to get the point across. That’s what you need sometimes.”