Bears' Long fights stigma against offensive linemen

Chicago Bears guard Kyle Long is fed up with the perception of offensive linemen across the league.

Long, a three-time Pro Bowler, joined teammate Bobby Massie, New York Giants center Weston Richburg and Tennessee Titans guard Chance Warmack to discuss the issues plaguing linemen at the NFL level. The quartet pointed to the lack of coaching and ability to engage in a physical style of play as their primary concerns.

"We're the Mushroom Club," Long said to Pete Prisco of CBS Sports. "They throw us in a closet, feed us s--- and expect us to come out a finished product."

Long criticized the rise of scouting service Pro Football Focus, particularly as it pertains to the critiques of offensive linemen, saying that their personnel don't grasp everything that occurs in a play.

"If you turn on the film, you can see it's a zone concept. But there may be a Bob concept in there. There may be a wham concept in there. There may be we're booking this guy. We're not going to block him. But on film, it might look like Bobby Massie didn't even touch the guy. When in reality, Bobby went and got the linebacker and put him on the safety. And Cris Collinsworth doesn't know that."

Long also lamented that linemen are no longer allowed to play as physical as his counterparts from the late 1990s, implying he's been fined for trying to emulate an old-school approach.

"We do, but we just have to write a check for it. I sponsored a few vacations for Roger (Goodell)," he said.

There's certainly logic to Long's complaints, with the offensive line routinely undervalued in the modern age. Nonetheless, it appears unlikely the NFL and the culture at-large will change due to his remarks.