Chris Long knows what he's getting himself into. His father, Hall of Fame defensive lineman Howie Long, grew up in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, and Chris is well aware of what it means to be a sports fan in this particular region.
For the veteran defensive end who signed a one-year deal with the Patriots this offseason, it's one of the draws of his new home.
"It’s certainly cool to go back and play somewhere where my dad grew up," he said. "There’s a lot to his story coming out. To me, it’s not some place I had visited a whole lot when I was a kid, but I’ve been there, and just as much as anything, on a personal level, I’m just excited to be a part of such a great sports town, sports city.
"I can’t think of a better fan base or collection of great pro sports teams and how passionate these fans are about football, but also with the Celtics, and the Bruins, and the Red Sox. They love all their teams. They’ve won championships in everything in the past several years so it’s a special thing to be a part of."
Howie Long attended Milford High, where he first picked up organized football. Eventually he received scholarship offers from both Boston College and Villanova, choosing the smaller school just outside of Philadelphia at his grandmother's behest.
Long was drafted by the Raiders in 1981 and Chris was born four years later. While Chris hasn't spent much time in the Boston area, he's looking forward to playing in an area where there is so much family history.
"The family thing is real cool, and I’m sure as I get up there some things that I hadn’t anticipated form a family standpoint will kind of develop in a great way and I might meet some people that say, 'Hey I went to high school with your pops,' or are mutual friends," Long said. "That’s part of it, and it’s very cool to me, but the sports city part of it I’m really excited about. Just from the day I was lucky enough to sign, the fans, the outreach on social media, and the excitement – you can really feel it."