Chris Long was probably pretty excited when he learned he’d been traded to the Eagles for the 2017 season because it meant he’d be reunited with his Rams defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.
So in training camp, the two started some friendly banter about what the season could hold. Long joked that, in the unlikely event they’d make it to the Super Bowl together, he’d get a tattoo of his favorite old coach.
Chris Long said if the Eagles win the #SuperBowl he has to get a tattoo of LB coach Ken Flajole’s face. pic.twitter.com/y4oFAhKR1Q
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 30, 2018
“When Chris came [to Philadelphia], we were just talking,” Flajole said. “And I think it was probably training camp, and I probably told him something to the extent of, ‘Hey, nothing would be better than to raise the Lombardi Trophy with you.’ And he said, ‘Hey, if we go to the Super Bowl and win, I’ll put a tattoo of your face on my body,'” Flajole recalled. “I said, ‘OK, Chris, you better be careful now, because you never know how these things turn sometimes.'”
And as the Eagles kept winning, Chris Long probably got a little more nervous each week. They finally agreed that Long should get a tattoo of Flajole somewhere inconspicuous if they win the Super Bowl on Sunday.
“A lot of people were like, ‘Were you betting that you’re not going to win?’ It wasn’t really a bet,” Long said. “I was joking, and he held me to it, and he reminded me this week. It will be a good problem to have.”
It doesn’t look like Flajole is giving up on the possibility anytime soon.
“I’m going to hold him to it,” he said. “Now, if he wants to barter a little bit to get out of it … but I think he’s prepared to do it. I’m sure he’s going to put it in an inconspicuous spot where nobody’s gonna say, ‘Who is that guy?’ I said, ‘Chris, remember one thing: You’re going to be my age one day, and your kids are going to say, “Dad, who is that guy on your arm?” or wherever you put it.’ But he’s a man of his word, so we’ll have fun with it.”
Asked what the tattoo might look like, Long simply answered, “Man, I’m just going to hide his ugly mug.”
Follow Jena on Twitter.