Spencer Long
{{Short description|American football player (born 1990)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Spencer Long
| image = Spencer long.jpg
| caption = Long with the Washington Redskins in 2015
| number = 60, 61
| position = Center
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|11|8|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 318
| high_school = Elkhorn (Elkhorn, Nebraska)
| college = Nebraska
| draftyear = 2014
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 78
| pastteams =
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|2014}}–{{NFL Year|2017}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2018}})
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2019}})
- San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|2020}})*
| highlights =
- Second-team All-American (2012)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2012)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2011)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 67
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 44
| pfr = LongSp00
}}
Spencer Long (born November 8, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft. He was also a member of the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers.
Early life
Long attended Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn, Nebraska. He played defensive end on the Antlers football team, and also played baseball.
College career
At the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, he walked on to the Cornhuskers football team for the 2009 season. He redshirted in 2009, and did not appear in a game in 2010. In 2011, Long was one of three Nebraska offensive linemen to start in all of the Huskers' games. He also started in every game during the 2012 season. In 2013, he played in only six games before suffering a season-ending knee injury.{{Cite web|url=https://huskers.com/sports/football/roster/spencer-long/15050|title = Spencer Long - 2013 - Football}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4+5/8
| weight = 320
| dash =
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical =
| broad ft =
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| bench =
| arm span = 33+1/8
| hand span = 10+3/4
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/spencer-long/32194c4f-4e54-8655-2605-c93c5c0501ea |title=Spencer Long Combine Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=August 4, 2020}}
}}
=Washington Redskins=
Long was selected by the Washington Redskins in the third round, 78th overall, of the 2014 NFL draft.{{cite news|work=WashingtonTimes.com|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/9/nfl-draft-redskins-draft-nebraska-guard-spencer-lo/|title=NFL draft: Redskins draft Nebraska guard Spencer Long 78th overall|first=Brian|last=McNally|date=May 9, 2014|access-date=May 11, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://riggosrag.com/2014/05/09/redskins-draft-guard-spencer-long-pick-78/|title=Redskins draft guard Spencer Long at pick 78|date=May 9, 2014|publisher=riggosrag.com|access-date=May 10, 2014}} On May 16, 2014, Long signed his four-year rookie contract, worth {{USD}}2.85 million.{{cite news|work=WashingtonPost.com|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2014/05/16/redskins-sign-six-of-eight-draft-picks-to-rookie-deals/|title=Redskins sign six of eight draft picks to rookie deals|first=Mike|last=Jones|date=May 16, 2014|access-date=May 17, 2014}}
With the release of former starting right guard, Chris Chester, Long was given the chance to compete for the starting position. He ended up losing out to Brandon Scherff, who originally was expected to become the starting right tackle.{{cite news|work=WashingtonPost.com|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2015/08/10/guard-spencer-long-adjusting-to-backup-role-again/|title=Guard Spencer Long adjusting to backup role again|first=Jacob|last=Feldman|date=August 10, 2015|access-date=September 15, 2015}} He would then become the starting left guard after regular starter, Shawn Lauvao, was placed on the team's injured reserve in September 2015.{{cite web|work=Redskins.com|url=http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Gruden-Leaning-Towards-Spencer-Long-At-Left-Guard-After-Lauvao-Exits-To-IR/92687951-4880-4038-94a3-87b4e5102a99|title=Gruden Leaning Towards Spencer Long At Left Guard After Lauvao Exits To IR|date=October 1, 2015|first=Jake|last=Kring-Schreifels|access-date=November 10, 2015}} In 2016, Long became the team's starting center after a season-ending injury to Kory Lichtensteiger in week 3.{{cite news|last1=Tesfatsion|first1=Master|title=In Redskins' search for a center, the answer — Spencer Long — was there all along|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/in-redskins-search-for-a-center-the-answer--spencer-long--was-there-all-along/2016/11/16/913e0a42-ac3b-11e6-8b45-f8e493f06fcd_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=November 17, 2016}} On November 21, 2017, Long was placed on injured reserve after dealing with knee tendinitis.{{cite web|last1=Czarda|first1=Stephen|title=Redskins Place Four On Injured Reserve, Sign Four To Active Roster|url=https://www.redskins.com/news/redskins-place-four-on-injured-reserve-sign-four-to-active-roster-19815796|website=Redskins.com|date=November 21, 2017}}
=New York Jets=
On March 18, 2018, Long signed a four-year, $28 million contract with the New York Jets.{{cite web|title=Jets adding Washington center Spencer Long|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/14/jets-adding-washington-center-spencer-long/|author=Gantt, Darin|website=ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com|date=March 14, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jets-Agree-to-Deal-with-C-Spencer-Long/301c3b01-33f1-4277-a658-604b63e7a27f|title=Jets Agree to Deal with C Spencer Long|work=NYJets.com|date=March 18, 2018|first=Eric|last=Allen}} He started 13 games in 2018 at center and left guard but was released on February 5, 2019.{{cite web|title=Jets release center Spencer Long after just one season|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-release-center-spencer-long-after-just-one-season-0ap3000001017066|author=Bergman, Jeremy|website=NFL.com|date=February 5, 2019}}
=Buffalo Bills=
On February 12, 2019, Long signed a three-year $12.6 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.{{cite web|title= Bills sign free agent C-G Spencer Long to three-year deal|url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-sign-free-agent-c-g-spencer-long-to-three-year-deal|author=Brown, Chris|website=buffalobills.com|date=February 12, 2019}} On March 10, 2020, Long's second-year option was exercised by the Bills. He was released on August 4, 2020.{{cite news |author=Glab, Maddy |title=Bills release OL Spencer Long |url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-release-ol-spencer-long |website=BuffaloBills.com |date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=August 4, 2020}}
= San Francisco 49ers =
Long was signed by the San Francisco 49ers on August 13, 2020,{{Cite web|title=49ers Sign OL Spencer Long; Waive DL Alex Barrett|url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-sign-ol-spencer-long-waive-dl-alex-barrett|work=49ers.com|access-date=August 13, 2020}} but announced his retirement three days later.{{cite web|title=49ers' offensive lineman Spencer Long retires three days after signing|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/49ers-offensive-lineman-Spencer-Long-retires-15488074.php|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=August 16, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=49ers Place OL Spencer Long on Reserve/Retired List|url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-place-ol-spencer-long-on-reserve-retired-list|work=49ers.com|access-date=August 16, 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=3662502& Nebraska Cornhuskers bio]
{{Redskins2014DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Spencer}}
Category:American football centers
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:Buffalo Bills players
Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players
Category:New York Jets players
Category:Players of American football from Omaha, Nebraska