Chris Long Quotes

The more space you have there, the better it is for the quarterback, because he's got room to move around there to avoid a rush. And also, after the point of contact, if the rusher does beat me, he still has to go another four yards before he makes a sack. Versus if you drop straight back, he only has to go two more yards.

First thing, and it's really one of my favorite things, is the protection part. Who everybody is blocking and where the pressure is coming from. Because if we can't get the ball off, it doesn't matter what you're doing out here.

It doesn't make much sense to blitz a guy that gets rid of the ball in less than 1.5 seconds.

I'm a great pass catcher. I'm excellent in pass protection, which is the most important thing. You can't play, you can't get on the field if you don't protect that franchise quarterback.

I think anytime you can take as much off the quarterback as possible, that only helps them out in the long run.

When I was a kid, I was a striker. Then, I started to be a winger and defender sometimes.

Brent Celek is a heck of a blocker, James Casey is a heck of a blocker.

I know how important it is to have your quarterback standing upright. Matter of fact, I know how important it is not to allow someone hit on him period because I want him to think that this pocket is completely safe, no one is going to get to me and I got all the time in the world to make whatever decisions I need to make.

There's obviously a push to protect the quarterback, but you have to give the defensive players a chance. All of the quarterback has to do is pull the ball, and he's a runner. How's the defender going to know if the ball is pulled or not?

Not only the attackers, but the defenders - it's on the attackers to prepare themselves to break through the strong defense.

Any time you get a new running back, whether it's a rookie or hasn't played a lot, that's the first thing you test, is their pass protection. That's big.

You can't put a running back in there and have him not know who to pick up. You can't get your quarterback hit.

That's the key to defending any quarterback: to make them throw before they want to throw.

Anytime we can get the running game going it is a plus for me and it makes my job a lot easier.

In Serie A if you have an exceptional physique and you train very well you can destroy any opposing defense.

You have to adapt and find your niche, in terms of the type of player you can become, both on and off the pitch. I always knew I'd have no chance against a 1.90m, 90kg defender in a duel, so the key is to avoid these situations altogether. You have to pick your space and time.

In eighth grade, I was actually better in football. I played running back, wide receiver, and safety - just like Allen Iverson.

A defensive coordinator is always going to try to throw you something different and get you out of your element, and I have to do better with the pass protection.

Being a tight end, you have to be able to do everything. You have to be able to run routes; you have to be able to block, pass-protect, and run with the ball after a catch. So, that's how I attack my workouts - focusing on doing everything.

I think I'd be a good pass-catching fullback.

Nigerian footballers who have played in Russia improved their ability here.

I recruit defensive players first. That's where most games are won. Then you've got to get the offensive linemen.

My dad was a professional footballer before I was alive. When I was growing up, he was the one who coached and mentored me and helped me to become what I am today. Without his coaching and without his insight and the days and the hours that he put in with me, I wouldn't be the player that I am today.

Great players, they start becoming immune to what the defense does to them.

Luckily for me, Hereford restarted their youth team. I trained a few times with the first team before my first stroke of luck, when the club's youth team coach Pete Beadle, someone who knew me well, became the first-team manager.