PHILADELPHIA — Eagles defensive end Chris Long isn’t going to donate his share of Super Bowl money to charity like he did with his salary during the 2017 regular season. A man has got to eat.
“I’m keeping my playoffs checks,” Long said when questioned by The Post on Thursday after the Eagles’ first full practice in preparation for facing the Patriots in Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4 in Minneapolis. “I’ve spent over $100,000 on my body during the year to keep it together. When you talk about rent and all that stuff, I’m happy to work for free, but I’m not going to pay to work.”
It’s hard to argue with that considering Long donated every game check during the regular season — a total of more than $1 million — to various charities that create educational opportunities for those in need. It was a noble gesture that should have received more attention than it did, but figures to be discussed in the coming days as the Eagles attempt to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history. Fans have backed Long by giving generously to his “Pledge 10 for Tomorrow Drive.” It has been worth the financial sacrifice.
“It’s been uplifting because fans, players and businesses have pitched in,” Long said. “The whole reason we did that publicly was the fans more than doubled my investment in the cause that I’m interested in — the power of sports, social media and fans working together.”
Collecting Super Bowl shares is becoming habit-forming for Long, the 10-year veteran from Virginia, who was a member of the champion Patriots last season after spending his first eight years with the Rams and never winning more than seven games in a season. Having signed a two-year contract with the Eagles in March, Long is in the unique position of playing in two straight Super Bowls with two different teams with a chance to win both, following the Patriots’ come-from-behind 34-28 win over the Falcons last season.
“There’s a long way to go before we talk about anything like that,” Long said. “It has nothing to do with me. I’m just a lucky dude that made some good decisions during free agency.”
Lucky for the Eagles, too. Long, the son of Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long, had a monster game in the NFC Championship. In the first quarter, Long pressured Case Keenum, hitting his arm when the Vikings quarterback attempted a throw that was intercepted by Patrick Robinson and returned 50 yards for a momentum-turning touchdown in the Eagles’ 38-7 win. Also, Long recovered a fumble in the second quarter after defensive end Derek Barnett sacked Keenum and stripped him of the football. They are the kind of big plays the Eagles defense will need to make in the Super Bowl against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Long landed with the Eagles because he made the first call. Fans on Twitter were saying he was crazy for leaving the Patriots and he was washed up at age 32. It was just fan talk, but it made Long nervous. He called Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to gauge his interest.
“I was antsy to get on a team and I saw the team I wanted to be on,” Long said. “I had to get a hold of somebody in Philly to tell them that I’m alive and that I’m not dead. Howie could have said I was too old, but he said, ‘Great.’ Then I had to go play.”
He has played well enough to be part of the Eagles’ talented defensive line that goes about seven deep. It will take all of them to put heat on Brady.
“He’s the best of all-time. He’s the GOAT,” Long said. “When you’re getting ready for somebody like that, you’ve got to play your game the best you can. Obviously, we’ll have a game plan. But specifically you have to do your job to the best of your ability and not try to reinvent yourself. When you’re playing against a guy that good if you do things that don’t fit you well, he’ll attack you.”