Deep thoughts from the I-95...

Go Long is hitting the road. That is, when we've got four functioning tires.

Get stranded on the I-95 from 8:45 p.m. to 2:05 a.m. — somewhere between Miami and Jacksonville — and you’re bound to see some interesting sights.

Eighteen-wheelers speed by at 80+ MPH. Nonstop.

One obese opossum waddled his way toward my rental car before scurrying back into the creepy woods.

And right before a tow truck finally arrived, I was visited by police officers. Understandable. They wanted to know what this ‘24 Chevy Malibu was doing with its flashers on for hours. I safely pulled off near a light pole so — from a distance — it looked like I smashed into the damn thing. Naturally, we ended up talking about football. One cop said he was a New York Jets fan and that he was cautiously optimistic about Aaron Rodgers. The other cop shined a bright flashlight through the passenger window.

We don’t do power rankings around here, but on the Crazy Road Trip Power Rankings as a sportswriter, this night would’ve moved into the No. 1 slot.

A few words of wisdom? Make sure your rental car is always equipped with a spare tire. This vehicle was not. Maybe Tom Brady’s next commercial for Hertz can swap “Let’s go!” for “Let’s leave ya on the highway for 5 1/2 hours!” After popping a tire on the NASCAR-notorious I-95, I slipped into the shoulder, AAA deferred me to Hertz Roadside Assistance and… the wait commenced. The first tow arranged by Hertz, via AAA, never supplied an ETA. Never showed. A second tow was arranged and this driver — who hailed from Trinidad and Tobago — restored faith in humanity. He easily could’ve taken the car and simply said “Good luck.” He already had his teenage son with him for the all-night shift. It was a tight squeeze. Instead, this saintly employee of Ghost Auto Works brought me right to the Orlando airport to pick up my new car before dumping that Malibu off at his yard.

Honestly, the guy drove the tow truck within a few feet of those spikes used at rental centers. Somehow, he Austin Powers’d his way back around. Don’t think I’ve ever tipped anyone faster in my life.

With the help of a crappy XL gas-station coffee, I eventually pulled into the Jacksonville Fairfield at 5:45 a.m. Thursday.

Funny enough, that first towing company called an hour later to say they had arrived to get me.

And to think: this day began at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday with a free cup of coffee at Starbucks because their computers were down.

I share this all simply to stress it was all One Zillion Percent worth every second of stress. And then some.

Cannot wait to share profiles from this reporting trip across the state of Florida. Without giving too much away, I don’t think you’ll need to be a Jaguars or Dolphins fan to appreciate the gripping life stories of two players particularly. Next week, it’s off to the Houston Texans. The week after, Buffalo Bills mandatory minicamp. And to the NFC Northers in the house? Rest assured. Jordan Love’s rise and Caleb Williams’ debut will be chronicled. May/June is the perfect time on the NFL calendar to travel.

Waiting for that tow truck didn’t only offer an opportunity to finish the final hour of the exceptional “Beartown” trilogy from Fredrik Backman on audiobook. (Highly recommend.) With so much time to think in the dark, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Of course, it’s important to keep your head on a swivel for potential drifters over your left shoulder. But there was zero need to be angry about anything knowing our loyal readers here make such cross-country reporting possible. Because there’s no substitute for sitting down with a player in-person at length. No phoner comes close. This trip included one of the most emotional conversations I’ve ever had with a player.

Our No. 1 objective is to lift up the curtain and capture the spirit of the sport.

Your investment, your belief in what we’ve been building since November 2020 makes such ambitious goals possible.

Will chip away at these longer stories over the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for a column on the Dallas Cowboys this coming Monday. I recently chatted with one former member of the front office who had *a lot* to say about how things are run in Jerry’s World, previously examined in 2021. His insight helps us make sense of another wacky offseason in Big D.

Your Mailbag questions were phenomenal. Those answers will roll out throughout next week.

And here’s some cool news to share. Our profile of Zay Jones from last spring’s road trip was nominated for the 2024 Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting. More than anything, seeing “Go Long” listed alongside so many established publications and authors is a credit to our subscribers.

You are willing to hit pause on life and read a story for an hour.

You are determined to take your brain back from the algorithmic social-media machines by supporting independent journalism.

So, why fret over a midnight opossum? Why worry about those cars zipping by at high speeds?

The hunt for stories worth your time rages on.

Even if a tire’s popped along the way.

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