Your home for longform: All Friday Features inside...
Why does David Montgomery carry four defenders on his back? How did Brian Robinson Jr. gain a superpower? And a mentorship between LeRoy Butler and Evan Williams is born in Green Bay. Catch up inside.
Greetings! What a slate of games across the country. First, here’s a reminder that you can hang out with fellow Go Long readers inside the Substack app all day, all night long.
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Also, since we’ve welcomed a good amount of new free and paid subscribers to our site this week, I figured we’d link the Friday Features to date below.
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‘Kill ‘em all:’ The Sean Rhyan Code
Every Sunday, the Green Bay Packers' brawling right guard reads a message on a rusty old lighter from the Vietnam War... and morphs into something else. Good news for a team that finally wants to bludgeon opponents. Meet the man who’s a product of bloody rugby battles as a kid, Taylor Swift ballads, Werner Gunthor film and a secret weapon (his own Dad). A lot of fun kicking back with a man who could’ve excelled in any era.
The Case for Joe Schoen
Faith in Daniel Jones backfired. Here's why empowering the GM to pursue & draft a quarterback — finally — is the New York Giants' best course of action. It wouldn’t be the popular decision, that’s for sure. But here’s thinking John Mara needs to take a deep breath this offseason. Sources detail what went wrong for Jones after 2022.
Survival Mode: The Power of Ray Davis’ Pain
Homeless as a child, the Bills rookie is loving life in WNY. But the thing is? Ray Davis never wants to change. He knows his running style is a direct reflection of his life: “I let motherf--kers know it’s a long game. It’s a long, long game. I may be short, fat. Whatever you want to call me, you’re going to have to face me for four straight quarters and — at the end of the game — I’m going to earn your respect. You’re going to give me my respect.”
'It will happen!' Why HOF'er LeRoy Butler sees greatness in Evan Williams
Go Long flies to Wisconsin to sit down with a Packers legend and an ascending star at safety. Butler's words of wisdom will stay on the rookie's mind for years, too. A true friendship is born… and both realize their lives are more similar than they think.
‘Twenty-one months ago, I was dead’
We chat again with the man who came back to life. Buffalo's resilient starting safety knows he's only getting started: “I really see myself as one of the best safeties in this league.” Hamlin previously opened up to Go Long about his upbringing over chicken wings at Elmo’s. Nobody knew him then. Now, the whole world does.
SKOL! How old-school principles are fueling the 2024 Minnesota Vikings
Brian Flores coaches players (VERY) hard. Sam Darnold isn't playing the victim. And Jonathan Greenard? He knows his life led to this moment. Go Long spends a week with the resurgent Minnesota Vikings. As much as we think the sport has changed — era to era to era — some core principles never die. Here’s how the Vikings, a team projected to finish last, took the league by storm.
'Through the storm:' Blake Cashman is the Vikings' maniac in the middle
He's the throwback this team needs. He was almost devoured by the NFL machine, too. (Playing for the Jets is hell.) We sit down with linebacker Blake Cashman, the Vikings' demolition man. It’s easy to see why Brian Flores handpicking him as the man to run his defense.
‘I can battle anything:’ Brian Robinson Jr. nearly lost his life... then gained a superpower
His life could've ended two years ago. Instead? The Washington Commanders running back found an edge. We head to D.C. Robinson knows he’s lucky to be alive.
Should Josh Allen play football on Monday?
One leading neuroscientist, Chris Nowinski, tells us the Buffalo Bills quarterback should not play vs. the Jets. He makes a compelling case. Either way, the concussion discussion isn't going anywhere.
The Full Monty: Why Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery runs so damn hard
You see him carrying bodies on his back every single week. But why? The heartbeat of the Detroit Lions, a man dealing with more pain and more family trauma than anyone knows, opens up on all trauma. This past year, his sister got into a car accident. She’s paralyzed from the neck down — perspective that sticks with Montgomery.
Ass-Kicking Origins: Why the Detroit Lions are built for 2024 football
Fancy doesn't fly this season. You've got to win mano a mano. Lions players all know exactly when they fell in love with the sport's cruelty. Now, they're bringing Dan Campbell's words to life.
The Immortal Harrison Smith
Torture devices. Late-night film. Instincts sharpened through nearly 200 games. The Minnesota Vikings safety is piecing together a career worthy of Canton... and he's not close to finished yet.
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