Former NFL defensive end Chris Long recently appeared on The Dan Patrick Show where he talked about his 11 years in the NFL and how he used to smoke his fair share of weed during his playing days. The conversation came in light of the report that the NFL is currently looking into marijuana research when it comes to pain management. For Long, smoking weed helped him deal with stress a lot better.
"I certainly enjoyed my fair share on a regular basis through my career," Long explained. "I was never afraid to say that, but I'm able to say it more explicitly now. Listen, if not for that, I'm not as capable of coping with the stresses of day-to-day the NFL life."
Long went on to say that testing for marijuana usually occurs once a year at a predetermined date so players know when to stop using drugs. However, Long explained that players end up resorting to more destructive coping methods for their pain, including pills and alcohol. The former Eagles player hopes the NFL sees the light and stops testing players altogether.
"In that month or two that you stop, you’re going to reach for the sleeping pills, you’re going to reach for the pain-killers and you’re going to reach for the bottle a little bit more. On the weekend, you're going to have a few more drinks, and a few turns into a few too many. It's just not the same," Long said. "If you’re serious about players not using, you'd be testing more often. I hope they go the opposite direction and just kind of realize how arbitrary that one test is."
Most recently, Dallas Cowboys player David Irving retired from the NFL due to their strict policy against marijuana.
