Former Viking Tackle Jake Long Announces Retirement
Joe Johnson
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In a move that surprised very few, outside of my dad (Just due to how hard it is for anyone to come back from a torn Achilles, let alone a 6’7″ man who has to block), former Minnesota Viking left tackle Jake Long announced his retirement yesterday on Twitter. Now, for some reason I can’t get his Tweet to simply x-post over (Like it usually does), so I’ve typed out his retirement announcement, skipping over the more personal aspects of it to cover the football related mumbo-jumbo. If you’d like to read the entire announcement, you can click here.
As for the announcement itself, here it is:
“Football has been something that I have put my entire heart and soul into. I have always given this game the respect and attention to detail that it demands. As I continue with my recent rehab I realize that although my heart and mind still want to play, my body is telling me something completely different. Mentally and physically I have given this game everything I possibly could. I love playing and will definitely miss it. But, I am so excited for the next chapter in my life and the opportunities that will come. I have an amazing wife, little daughter and another one on the way. Life is Good!
I am humbled and grateful for the amazing opportunities that football has provided me and my family. The teammates, coaches, lifelong friends, and special moments that I’ve been able to experience are priceless. I’d like to thank all of the organizations I got a chance to play for. Most of all I want to thank the Miami Dolphins. Mr. Ross, Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells, Thank You. You believed in me and gave me my first opportunity to live my dream of playing in the NFL. I will always be a proud and lifelong Miami Dolphin.
Thank you to Dr. Andrews and his team for all the time and effort you have put into my body and career. Lastly, I want to thank Coach Carr. You gave me one of the greatest honors of playing football at the University of Michigan. The way you coached and the lessons you taught your players are what prepared me for the NFL and beyond. I love you coach, thank you.”
While I did make a joke at the top of the page regarding my dad being the only person who didn’t see this coming, it appears as if Jake Long was making an attempt to come back from yet another awful leg injury this off-season, which is something that I had personally hoped he would do. Long was a brilliant player, Hall of Fame worthy-even, when he was able to stay healthy. For whatever reason, though, he just couldn’t seem to be able to do that. I mean, watching him last season as a Viking, after spending most of the beginning of the season sitting on the couch, was amazing. He was so much faster off of the ball than not only the rest of the offensive line, but the defensive line as well on the “wrong” side of 30 and again, not even in game shape. Because of that, I had held out hope that somehow he’d be able to make it back this season, while the Vikings clearly made moves to replace him (and TJ Clemmings, and Matt Asiata). I was so excited by the play of Long before his injury that I had begun to call the 2016 Vikings the best “Addition by Subtraction Team Ever” on the purpleJOURNAL Podcast.
So, I can’t help but feel for the former number one overall pick. Despite the fact that he was drafted before rookie contracts were restructured, which made him one of the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL History before he even touched the field. However, you can feel just how much football meant to him and it’s got to be hard to be so great at something and leave part of it, and yourself, on the field. He may be set financially, but you can’t help but feel for the guy. He had all of the tools necessary to really make his mark on the NFL and it just sucks to know that he’ll be remembered by a lot of people for untapped potential. Based on the few weeks that he did play for the Vikings I will personally remember him as an amazing talent who was also a super nice guy. He liked a Tweet that I sent his way, which in 2017 is the same as getting an autograph, so I basically know him personally. All jokes aside, he does seem like a great guy and while it may be a sad time in his life, he’s also in his early 30’s and retired, kinda like me but with completely different outlooks, financially. So, enjoy your retirement, big fella, it was great to have you in Purple and Gold!
What do you think of Long’s retirement? Sound off in our Message Board about this and everything else Vikings!
Edit: He did it again! I tweeted this piece at him this morning and he liked the Tweet. Solidifying that, yep, he is a great guy and also that, yep, I technically know him now.
