FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Seamless transition.
Those were the first words that came to mind after walking out of the New England Patriots locker room on Tuesday and thinking about what has unfolded with veteran defensive end Chris Long.
When the Patriots signed Long to a one-year, $2.375 million contract in March, both the club and player had an idea of what they hoped would happen. But it doesn't always go according to plan, as was evidenced by the team's similar signing of veteran defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, who was released at the start of September.
The marriage of Long and the Patriots is off to a strong start and on Tuesday, there was a reminder of the seamless transition as Long held court with reporters in what has become a regular occurrence early in the work week.
During the interview, the 31-year-old Long was asked how much he could feel the winning culture in New England after spending the first eight years of his career with the Rams and never qualifying for the playoffs. His answer was right out of the Bill Belichick media relations playbook by not making himself the story and turning the attention back to the task at hand.
"I don’t really do much comparing. I've played for a lot of head coaches, a ton of different systems, and at the end of the day all you can ask for is a chance on Sunday to be put in the best position to win," he began. "Preparing all week [is critical] and certainly this week is a prime example: We have a long week of preparation ahead and can get a little head start. You have to get it going early in the week when you have that extra time and preparation to get your body ready.”
Photos: In what has become an early-week routine, DE Chris Long & WR Danny Amendola draw large media crowds. pic.twitter.com/Ig1rG64RmN
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 27, 2016
Long's return to full health has been the key to his on-field resurgence in 2016. After being limited to just four sacks over the 2014-15 seasons, in part because he was battling injuries, Long has been all over the field while playing 140 of a possible 197 snaps, a greater role than anticipated as he's filled in for Rob Ninkovich, who is serving a four-game NFL suspension.
Belichick singled out Long's effort in recovering a sideline fumble in the Sept. 18 win over Miami, a game in which his motor was running as high on his final snap as the first when he created a pressure out of a three-man rush to contribute to a game-sealing interception.
While he officially has one sack and seven tackles in the team's 3-0 start, Long's impact extends well beyond that stat line.
"Very consistent, very professional, very dedicated. I think he has earned everybody’s respect," Belichick said, noting that Long is often the first player in the facility every morning. "He has just done everything right and very team-oriented."
Added defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, "Just a true professional, a guy that comes to us with a lot of experience, but someone that really came to us with a fresh, brand new attitude and a new start ... I think for him and for us, it's just been a good kind of fresh start to have him here."
Meanwhile, a confluence of factors has positioned him as a go-to guy in the front seven from a media perspective -- Ninkovich's suspension, linebacker Dont'a Hightower's knee injury, and top players Malcom Brown, Jabaal Sheard and Jamie Collins more comfortable keeping a lower profile.
That helps explain why Long has drawn such large media crowds in recent weeks, as his voice is becoming more prominent in interviews. On Tuesday, he talked about "moving on to Buffalo" and how running back LeSean McCoy is "elite," quarterback Tyrod Taylor is a dual threat, and the offensive line is experienced and cohesive.
It was a Belichickian type review, and a reminder that despite being here just six months, Long's transition has been seamless -- on and off the field.