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Kyle Long vows to step up his play in 2017

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NFL: Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

When the Chicago Bears drafted Kyle Long in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, more than a few Bears’ fans scratched their heads. There was plenty of pre-draft buzz on him as a prospect, but most in the media didn’t expect him to go in the first round.

I was surprised the Bears picked him with the twentieth pick overall, but I understood the selection. He was a high upside, athletic, but raw, offensive lineman. He was also a hard worker that came from a football family. Long had a challenging path that led him to the NFL, and those challenges helped mature him.

His positive attitude made him a rookie fans kept an eye on, and his aggressive play on the field made him a fan favorite. Who can forget his first game when he barked at Cincinnati’s Vontaze Burfict. It was such a ‘welcome to the Bears’ moment for Long.

For Long’s entire career, he’s been very active on social media, and it was a recent flurry via twitter I wanted to point out. He started out tweeting about a book (Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win) that ex-Bear Ted Larsen turned him on to, and it escalated from there.

And then it took a turn towards football.

And then he started responding to tweets.

This one was in response to someone asking him if he thinks he’s have played well.

Someone tried calling him corny, but Long wasn’t having it.

He then explained what prompted his tweeting commentary, when someone told him his 2016 injury wasn’t his fault.

What do you guys think about Kyle Long putting it all out there?