Retired Eagles DE Chris Long shares his thoughts on marijuana

Chris Long appeared on the Dan Patrick show recently to discuss his retirement, and his thoughts on marijuana usage. This one was interesting.

One has to wonder what the newly-retired Chris Long is thinking about these days. For the first time in forever, an offseason begins, and there’s no football team to report to. He doesn’t need to report to Philadelphia Eagles OTAs or those of anyone else.

How’s this for a curve ball though? Long made an appearance on the Dan Patrick show this past Wednesday and shared his thoughts on everything from retirement, to his usage of tobacco during his playing days, and how there were some positive effects on his end.

Let’s kill the rumors before they begin. A thorough listen demonstrates Long’s comments were in no way a celebration of recreational drug use. It’s impossible to find a quote where we hear him glorify any type of recreational drug use in any sense.

Take a look at some of what was said. It changes the whole context:

"I think from a standpoint of what’s safer for people and the player, certainly people in the spotlight, it is far less harmful than alcohol, it is far less harmful than tobacco, and at various points in the league’s history, they have engaged in partnerships on different levels with those respective industries. I enjoyed my fair share"

Long not only touched on marijuana’s medical benefits. He also discussed his theories that it’s a far-less dangerous alternative to using or consuming alcoholic beverages.

"We should be headed to a place where we allow players to enjoy what I would not even call a drug. It’s far less dangerous than guzzling a fifth of alcohol and going out after a game. Chances are the player won’t even make it to the club [laughs] to do this sort of thing that we all kind of wag our finger at when we hear about a guy getting in a fight or getting a DUI, you’re never going to read about him sitting on the couch and binge-watching ‘Game of Thrones’ again."

Hate him or love him (it’s difficult to hate him when you see all of the positive ventures he involves himself in), we can debate his statements all day, but perhaps we should applaud both he and Patrick for having the courage to discuss such a sensitive topic.

Maybe their talk can foster future conversations that are both positive and lead us to a more productive outcome where this conversation and others like it are concerned. That appears to be what he’s trying to do, and that’s the Chris Long we all know.

Time will tell if that’s what happens. We’ve got our fingers crossed.