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Kyle was a perfect fit for the Bears and was selected 20th overall in the 2013 draft. He recalled that during his pre-draft visit to Halas Hall, he was invited into then-offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer's office, where he was shown footage of only one player.
“The cutup was just [Lions defensive tackle] “Ndamukong Suh,” Long said. “That’s all we saw. I remember sitting there and it hit me, the force of the moment was, “Ah, I see, this means more than just that you were a good college football player.” “We like you in Chicago.” It was like, “No, no, no, there are monsters out there and we need your help.” It got really serious.
Long wasted little time providing that help, earning Pro Bowl honors in each of his first three seasons, first at right guard and then at right tackle. He learned a lot from veteran linemen Robert Garza, Matt Slauson, Jermon Bushrod and Eben Britton.
“Seeing a group full of vets was exactly what I needed,” Kyle said. “Not only was I a newbie behind the eight ball in terms of my football experience, but my life experience was really limited. So these guys have done a great job and I always appreciate their guidance.”
Kyle remembers receiving valuable advice on his first day of training camp.
“Roberto Garza looked at me after the first day of training in Bourbonnais and said, 'How are you feeling, man?' I thought, “I'm fine.” And he says, “Well, this is the best you'll ever feel, so appreciate it.” That was really good advice that didn't just tell me to spend my youth value, but also take care of myself.
