Kyle Long explains himself after perceived shot at Bears coaching staff

Kyle Long has been entertaining an NFL comeback, but doesn’t want to rejoin the Bears.

Despite previously announcing his retirement in January, Kyle Long isn’t fully committed to life after football. The veteran offensive tackle publicly stated he’d consider coming back in the right situation, but that doesn’t appear to include the current addition of the Chicago Bears.

Long stated on Twitter he would “wait for a new staff” before signing with the Bears. While that was initially deemed a direct shot at Matt Nagy and his assistants, Long quickly backpedalled and explained himself, stating he didn’t mean to speak ill will of Nagy.

Kyle Long wouldn’t come back to play for the Chicago Bears.

The Bears declined Long’s option this offseason, essentially forcing him into retirement against his will. It’s unknown exactly what he meant with that comment, as he’s previously played under Nagy and the Bears brought in both a new offensive coordinator (Bill Lazor) and offensive line coach (Juan Castillo) this offseason.

Once his original comment gained traction among fans, he cleared up his statement ever so slightly.

Vaguer than ever! Long’s complicated relationship with the team could be stemming from how his previous tenure ended, but limiting his options suggests he has another team in mind should he fully commit to an NFL comeback. Chicago, which opted not to keep Long around when they had a choice in the matter, probably isn’t itching to bring him back into the fold anyway.

Long’s injury history makes any NFL return a calculated decision, as he’d have to be willing to take on the risk of further limiting his post-football life, which is more relevant to him now more than ever.

At the very least, Long isn’t going to snitch on Nagy and the Bears coaching staff to limit future roster potential. But that doesn’t mean he’s willing to sign up for Round 2.