CHRIS LONG promised to skip the chance to meet US President Donald Trump again after donating his entire salary this season to affecting social change.
The 32-year-old won the Super Bowl with New England Patriots last season and now lines up for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL’s showpiece game.
Champions of North America’s four major professional leagues traditionally visit the White House to celebrate with the US President, but Long was one of many Patriots to miss the trip.
“No, I’m not going to the White House,” Long said on a podcast this week “Are you kidding me?”
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Long earned a modest $1m (£705,000) this season, but he’s given all of his base salary back to the community.
His first six game wage packets went to fund scholarships in his hometown of Charlottesville, where white supremacists clashed with counter-demonstrators last year.
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The remaining 10 game cheques were given to help fund learning and colleges for children in Philadelphia, Boston and St Louis, the three cities Long has called home during his NFL career.
Long said: “Football for me, while it’s fun, I don’t get the fulfillment out of that alone.
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“So selfishly the charity stuff makes me feel good, makes me feel like I’m not just playing ball, I’m doing something bigger than that.”
“I’ve been very lucky for 10 years, made a lot of money playing a game, a kids’ game.
“I think we have a platform, and we’re responsible for giving back, and this is my way of doing it in my 10th year.
“It’s not like it’s an earth-shattering amount of money – I’m not making $10 million – but it’s more the act to me of doing what I love for a cause, and something bigger than myself.”
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Speaking about the violent racial protests in his hometown Charlottesville last year, Long admitted: “It was rough to see that.
“But I’m never going to complain that I’m the one that has to deal with that stuff every day.
“That’s a reality, and an ugly underbelly to our country that’s existed since the beginning of time.
“And I actually hate that I never felt disgusted until it happened in my hometown.
“There are people that have to deal with that reality every day and in a lot more personal way. And so for me it was a little extra wake-up call.”
Long’s charity work was recognised on Twitter by former US president Barack Obama.
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“It was just an honour,” Long said. “He is someone who I respect and somebody who I think handled being the face of our nation with class.
“”Not only do I respect him but he has so much pull and so much of a following, the leader of the free world until a year ago and did it for eight years.
“So when he tweets something about what we’ve been able to try and accomplish off the field, it’s gratifying and means we’re doing some good things and hopefully can just keep spreading the word.”
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