New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce (Presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment)
There’s a rich tradition of ‘NFL Brothers’ in the league from Peyton and Eli to T.J. Watt and Derek. And over the years (shout out ‘Manning Cast’) we’ve gotten a glimpse into what it’s like for these NFL brothers to watch each other’s games but this conversation between Jason Kelce and Chris Long really stands out.
In particular, Chris Long is able to speak to what it’s like as both an NFL player and a sibling, a sibling to an ABSOLUTE UNIT (Kyle Long’s 6’6″, 313+ pounds), and how watching his brother play and go manic on the field was the ‘worst week of his life’ as a pro football player. They get into the discussion on the latest episode of New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce (Presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment).
Chris Long speaking about Kyle Long: “When he got in the league it was like everything he was going through… I just felt like a parent for the first time. You know, because like I know exactly what he’s going through. My dad’s sweating bullets watching us play every week.”
Talking about a game Kyle played against the Eagles: “William Hayes, one of my best friends on the D-Line in St. Louis was just getting on Kyle… Getting on Kyle in one play he just snaps and like the the absolute gorilla and Kyle comes out and he’s like King Kong behind the play.”
“After the play and he’s punching him and he’s getting ready to wind up and kick him and I’m sprinting off the sideline… You’ve seen the footage of me trying to grab this big son of b—-. And he’s so big and strong I go to grab him and he jerks out of it and I got a piece of his jersey in my hand.”
Chris Long continues: “The jersey comes off, bro. And I’m for sure thinking he’s going to be ejected. But everybody on the outside… to bring it back to you and Travis, they think it’s so cute. It’s always so cute and it’s all fun and games but for parents to watch their two kids play a football game, and that was a meaningless game in St. Louis, but it was the worst week of my life as a pro football player, and my parent’s lives because they’re just so f—— stressed. And they know the pressure.”
‘NFL brothers’ like Kyle and Chris Long or Travis and Jason Kelce aren’t out here looking for special treatment or ‘thoughts and prayers’ for them during the game.
They love the game. Full stop.
But it is fascinating to hear them discuss the added pressure of having siblings in the league and it’s really something nobody on the outside can sympathize with because it’s such a unique situation for them.