September 17, 2019
Two weeks into the 2019-20 NFL season, the depth of the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive line is already decimated.
The inevitable Chris Long comeback campaign is about one broken toe away from hitting the trail, but the retired pass rusher has other plans in mind, for now.
In the coming weeks, Long, 34, will roll out the first feature of a new media company he aims to have fully up and running by next spring, according to The Athletic.
Chalk Media, based in Long's hometown of Charlottesville, will debut with a YouTube series called Fishbowl. The show will feature 15-minute interviews with guest athletes and celebrities ranging from former New York Giant Michael Strahan to "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin, to actor Miles Teller and rapper Action Bronson.
Long told the Athletic he's looking to create a space for athletes to be their authentic selves, free from the brand-centric presentation often found on other platforms:
“For me, it’s like, it comes from 10, 11 years of dissatisfaction with seeing the avenues that athletes have to have personalities and analyze the game, the sports they play,” Long said of why he started Chalk. “And I just think there’s a niche that we can occupy that is edgy, authentic … and funny, without sacrificing the meat and potatoes.
“And we want athletes who aren’t brand conscious, you know. We want athletes who they think of brand as their authentic personality. And at the end of the day, you put that in a bottle and mix it up.”
Anyone who follows Long on Twitter is well aware that he'll dive head first into politics, sports, music, movies and general observation borne of curiosity. Apart from the Fishbowl series, it's not yet clear what Chalk Media will bring to the table, but Long has reportedly spent seven figures to get this off the ground. Content about any and all of the above would seem likely, especially through the lens of an athlete.
What about a comeback with Eagles in the meantime? Long apparently has "not ruled out" a return to Philadelphia, which is a change in tone from the offseason.
With the Eagles down Malik Jackson and Tim Jernigan on the interior, Long's return would at least help reinforce the outside. It would be a big decision to come back from retirement, particularly in the midst of launching a new venture, but it sounds like there is at least a small chance we'll see Long on the field again.
