Adrian Fedkiw
Chris Long has been nothing but class since arriving in Philadelphia during the offseason and it’s been exemplified again with his latest act.
The Eagles defensive end is going to donate his first six game checks of the season to fund scholarships for students in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. The Chris Long Foundation made the announcement on Tuesday and the scholarships, which will allow two students with a seven-year, all-expenses covered school program, is meant to “promote equality through education.”
Here’s what Long had to say in a statement.
In August, we watched people fill our hometown streets with hatred and bigotry. Megan (Long’s wife) and I decided to try to combat those actions with our own positive investment in our community.
Long, of course, was extremely vocal following the protests involving white supremacists in Charlottesville. In a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 17, Long showed his support for Malcolm Jenkins and his protest against racial injustice by putting an arm around him while Jenkins raised his fist during the national anthem. This is what Long had to say to reporters about his anthem gesture at the time.
I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘Why do athletes get involved in the national anthem protests?’ I’ve said before that I’ll never kneel for an anthem because the flag means something different for everybody in this country, but I support my peers. If you don’t see why you need allies for people that are fighting for equality right now, I don’t think you’ll ever see it. Malcolm is a leader and I’m here to show support as a white athlete.
Long and Jenkins have continued that gesture each week since.