Getty LB Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears
Retired defensive end Chris Long knows a thing or two about what it takes to be successful in the NFL. The son of NFL legend Howie Long and the brother of recently retired Chicago Bears offensive guard Kyle Long, Chris won two Super Bowls over his 11-year career, one with the New England Patriots, and another with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Long played with both Tom Brady and Nick Foles over his career, so he also knows a thing or two about each quarterback. He retired following the 2018 season, and has since been working as an analyst and podcaster. His pod, Green Light with Chris Long, is generally equal parts fun and informative, and on this week’s episode, Long discussed the Bears’ win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also spent a little extra time discussing the mega-dominant performance of linebacker Khalil Mack, as well.
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Chris Long: ‘Khalil Mack is F*cking Bane’
Long, who had 70 sacks in his career, gets extra giddy when he sees special defensive performances like the one Mack turned in Thursday night. He shared his thoughts on the Bears’ All-Pro linebacker’s performance, and he also revealed an appropriate nickname his brother Kyle had for Mack.
“Mack has the coolest pre-snap close-up in prime time,” Long began. “You know what I’m talking about. When they zoom in on a rusher in his stance on third down or in a big situation? Khalil Mack has by far the most badass [stance], probably followed by Za’Darius Smith. Not far behind Khalil Mack is f*cking Bane. You know that’s what my brother called him when he played with him in Chicago? He said: ‘That dude’s like Bane.’ And when they zoom in on him in prime time, you know somebody’s about to get that work.”
Bane, of course, is a DC Comics supervillain and general huge thorn in the side of Batman — a character Mack is already a fan of. When he played with the Raiders, Mack wore a one of a kind pair of Bane-themed cleats, and he also donned a face mask featuring the infamous villain. The NFL banned several different types of face masks in 2014, so he hasn’t worn them since.
A cleat fit for a true savage. @52Mack_
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Long on Mack vs Brady: ‘Most Emasculating Moment on a Football Field I’ve Ever Seen’
Long wasn’t done singing Mack’s praises for his two-sack performance against the Bucs. Mack was in Tom Brady’s face all night, and before the game was over, it was obvious to anyone watching how frustrated the GOAT was.
“One of the most frustrating sequences I’ve ever probably see him experience,” Long said about Brady’s demeanor after one particular play late in the game when Mack pressured him yet again. “Probably one of the more badass sequences I’ve ever seen through the eyes of a d-lineman, right off the bat, you get the Mack sack … He was just looking right through Brady’s face. Like, just kneeling over him. And just like, wasn’t saying anything. Had to be the most emasculating moment on a football field I’ve ever seen.”
Here’s the moment Long is referring to:
Regardless of what verbiage you use to describe the moment, no one can deny Mack was the Bane of Brady’s existence in the Bears’ win.
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2x Super Bowl Winner: Khalil Mack vs Tom Brady Was ‘Emasculating’