David Long allowed 86 yards as the nearest defender in coverage in Week 4, the 2nd-most allowed in a single game in his career

First career 100-tackle season

Long racked up 113 tackles (64 solo), including one sack, one pass breakup and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season appearances with the Dolphins in 2023.

Analysis: Long surpassed the 100-tackle mark for the first time in his five-year NFL career while also tallying his first first-ever sack as a pro during a Week 2 win over New England. The 2024 campaign will mark the final season of his two-year contract with Miami, but his cap hit will grow to a sizeable $6.7 million, and the team has a potential 'out' with only $2.2 million in dead money this offseason. Of course, given Long's career-best 2023 performance, both sides should have mutual agreement on…read more

Will be available vs. Bills

Long (knee) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game versus the Bills, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Analysis: Long was limited at practice Wednesday and Thursday, but he was a full participant at practice Friday and will play Sunday. He projects to see plenty of work in Week 18 across from a Buffalo offense that has run the ball more often recently.

Limited participant again

Long (knee) was a limited participant in practice for the second day in a row Thursday.

Analysis: The starting inside linebacker's status in Friday's practice may help determine whether he plays in Sunday's AFC East championship clash with the Bills. Long is Miami's leading tackler in 2023 with 103 stops.

Seven tackles in blowout loss

Long had seven tackles (five solo) in Sunday's 56-19 loss to the Ravens.

Analysis: Long finished second on Miami's defense in tackles behind safety DeShon Elliott. Long played 47 snaps on defense Sunday, and it was the fifth straight game he has been on the field for at least 80 percent of the defensive snaps. His performance in Week 17 brought him to 102 tackles (55 solo) on the season, the first time in his five-year career he has reached the century mark in that category.

Solid in loss versus Titans

Long logged eight tackles (five solo) in Miami's 28-27 loss to the Titans on Monday.

Analysis: Long led the team in tackles during Monday's matchup and has now recorded eight tackles in back-to-back games. The 27-year-old will look to produce once again when the team plays the Jets on Sunday.

Productive in blowout win

Long recorded eight tackles (five solo) in Sunday's 45-15 win at Washington.

Analysis: Long tallied eight-plus tackles for the seventh time in 12 games this season, tying for the team lead in that category in Week 13. He's on pace for his first 100-tackle season and profiles as a viable IDP option for Week 14.

Ties team lead in tackles

Long recorded eight tackles (three solo) in Sunday's 21-14 loss to Kansas City.

Analysis: Long tallied at least eight tackles for the sixth time in nine games this season, good for a share of the team lead in that category in Week 9. He's on pace for his first 100-tackle campaign and projects as a fine IDP option for Week 11 when Miami hosts the Raiders following its Week 10 bye.

Gets in full practice

Long (concussion) was a full participant at practice Wednesday, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald reports.

Analysis: Long seems to be on track to play in Week 8, but there may still be outstanding steps for him to clear the league's concussion protocol. Miami's injury reports Thursday and Friday will shed more light on whether he'll be available Sunday versus New England.

Dealing with head injury

Long is being evaluated for a concussion, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Analysis: Long suffered an apparent head injury in the third quarter of Sunday's matchup with the Eagles, and it's unclear if he'll be able to return. Duke Riley is amongst those who will see an increase in workload while Long is unavailable.

Notches double-digit tackles

Long racked up 11 tackles (four solo) during Sunday's 42-21 win over Carolina.

Analysis: Long logged his second game of the season with double-digit stops, putting him at 47 tackles (25 solo) on the year, to go with one sack and one forced fumble. The starting interior linebacker could be busy versus the run again when Miami takes on the Eagles in Week 7.

Leads team in tackles

Long logged 10 tackles (seven solo) during Miami's 48-20 loss to Buffalo on Sunday.

Analysis: Long has now recorded eight or more tackles in three straight games and has a season total of 27 (17 solo). The 2019 sixth-round pick will look to continue to build on his strong start to the season in Week 5 against the Giants, which have struggled offensively so far.

Picks up sack vs. Pats

Long recorded eight tackles (five solo) and one sack during Sunday's 24-17 win over New England.

Analysis: Long resumed playing 80-plus percent of defensive snaps Week 2 after being relegated to just 20 percent of snaps Week 1, making good on coach Mike McDaniel's promise that the instance of lessened deployment was simply the matter of a specific gameplan. The starting interior linebacker's sack of Mac Jones was the first of his NFL career. Miami's defense will face the task of containing Russell Wilson and the Broncos in Week 3.

Loses snaps to Van Ginkel

Coach Mike McDaniel said Long's lack of playing time Sunday against the Chargers was part of Miami's "formula" for that specific game, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Analysis: Even if it was matchup-related, the 21 percent snap share Week 1 means Long should be taken out of most IDP lineups Week 2. He had 86 tackles, five pass defenses and two interceptions in 12 games for Tennessee last year, before signing a two-year, $10 million contract with Miami this offseason. While technically a starter in his Dolphins debut, Long mostly gave way to Andrew Van Ginkel, who had played far more edge rusher rather than off-ball linebacker prior to Sunday. It's definitely possible…read more

Strong start to training camp

Long, who was dealing with an undisclosed injury last month, has been participating in training camp practices, Travis Wingfield of the Dolphins' official site reports.

Analysis: Long signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Dolphins in March after spending the last four years in Tennessee. He missed five games last year but managed to post a career-high 86 tackles to go along with five pass deflections and two interceptions. Wingfield noted that Long had a strong showing on the second day of training camp where his "anticipation skills were on full display." Long is expected to start at inside linebacker alongside Jaelan Phillips, Jerome Baker and Bradley Chubb.

Sitting out team drills

Long (undisclosed) hasn't been participating at the Dolphins' OTAs, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald reports.

Analysis: Head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Long had a "tweak" earlier this offseason, which explains why the linebacker hasn't been available for team drills. McDaniel believes that Long is in a "good spot" and is looking forward to getting him out on the practice field when he's ready. Long signed a two-year contract with the Dolphins in March and is expected to operate as a starter at inside linebacker in 2023.

Heading to Miami

Long is expected to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Dolphins, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.

Analysis: Long missed five games last year, and he also missed seven games in 2021, so his durability is a concern. After averaging 6.02 tackles per game two years ago, he improved to 8.08 stops per game during his final year in Tennessee. Although he doesn't have any sacks in his career, he's been credited with 11 passes defensed over the last two years. He should move into a starting inside linebacker position with the Dolphins, and it's reasonable to expect his per-game tackle production to be similar…read more

Injury-plagued campaign

Long (hamstring) finished the 2022 season with 86 tackles, five passes defended and two interceptions across 12 games.

Analysis: Long remained a key contributor to Tennessee's defense when he was on the field, as he racked up at least eight tackles in seven of his 12 contests. However, he's now missed at least two games in all four of his seasons in the NFL, and he finished the 2022 campaign on injured reserve. Long will enter free agency after playing out the final season of his rookie contract, and he should draw significant interest in free agency.

Lands on IR

Long (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, Ben Arthur of FoxSports.com reports.

Analysis: Long had already been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jaguars after logging DNPs at practice throughout the week. His absence will certainly be a blow to the team's linebacker corps, if not the team's defense as a whole. Monty Rice and Joe Jones will likely step into bigger roles, as Long will now be forced to miss at least the next four weeks, with a Week 18 return being the soonest he may take the field again.

Won't play Sunday

Long (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against the Jaguars, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long left the team's Week 13 loss to Philadelphia due to a hamstring issue and was unable to practice to start Week 14 prep, so it's not surprising to see him ruled out. In Long's absence, Joe Schobert and Monty Rice are candidates for increased roles next to Dylan Cole.

Logs DNP

Long (hamstring) was a non-participant at practice Wednesday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long left Sunday's loss to the Eagles early with the injury, and he's apparently still not recovered. Because Long is an integral part of the Titans' linebacker corps, any absences for him would certainly be detrimental to the team's defense. He'll work to be ready Week 14 against the Jaguars.

Leaves with injury

Long (hamstring) has exited Sunday's game against the Eagles, Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com reports.

Analysis: Long's absence will certainly have a negative impact on the team's defense. He'll hope to return, but for now Joe Schobert and Monty Rice will be candidates to see extra opportunities at linebacker.

Makes nine stops

Long recorded nine total tackles and three tackles for loss in Thursday's 27-17 win over the Packers.

Analysis: Long played every defensive snap for the seventh time in 10 games this season. He led the Titans with nine tackles, and he stuffed both Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon behind the line of scrimmage on a few occasions. With the performance, Long now has a career-high 79 tackles while also chipping in four passes defended and two interceptions.

Upgrades to full activity Tuesday

Long (neck) practiced fully Tuesday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long sustained a stinger during the fourth quarter of Sunday's matchup versus the Broncos, but he's since returned to Tuesday's session without limitations. The 26-year-old has amassed 71 tackles, four passes defensed and two interceptions across the Titans' first nine games in 2022, and he should once again provide the team's defense with an impactful presence in Thursday night's showdown against the Packers.

Limited at estimated practice

Long (neck) is listed as limited on Tennessee's estimated practice report for Monday, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Long suffered a stinger in the fourth quarter of Sunday's Week 10 win over the Broncos, so it's not a surprise that he was estimated to be a limited practice participant one day later. Tennessee has a short turnaround with a Thursday night clash with Green Bay up next, thus Long may be hard-pressed to recover in time for that contest if his injury is more than minor.

Exits with injury

Long is questionable to return after suffering a stinger during Sunday's game against the Broncos, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: While the nature of Long's injury is still unclear, he'll likely have a tough time returning before the end of this contest. As a result, expect fellow inside linebacker Dylan Cole to play a bigger role for the remainder of the fourth quarter.

Notches 10 stops Sunday

Long recorded 10 tackles (six solo) in Sunday's 20-17 overtime loss versus the Chiefs.

Analysis: Long collected double-digit tackles for the second time this season, including three stops on the first series of overtime Sunday. The fourth-year linebacker now has 63 tackles (37 solo), four passes defended and two interceptions on 499 defensive snaps through eight games in 2022. Long recorded a career-best 75 tackles while playing only 10 games due to a lingering hamstring injury last year, so he should easily set a new career high so long as he remains healthy over the next nine weeks.

Paces team with eight stops

Long recorded eight tackles (six solo) during Sunday's 17-10 win over the Texans.

Analysis: Long's efforts in Week 8 versus Houston can be attributed to his ability to play every defensive snap in the contest. The 26-year-old now has 53 stops, four passes defensed and two interceptions across seven games played, but he'll have his work cut out for him when the Titans travel to Kansas City on Sunday night.

Grabs another INT in win

Long recorded eight tackles (five solo), two passes defended and an interception in Sunday's 19-10 win against the Colts.

Analysis: Long nabbed an interception for the second game in a row as he stepped in front of a pass intended for Michael Pittman in the second quarter. The fourth-year linebacker did not line up on every down for the Titans 'defense for the second time in six games, playing 61 of the team's 65 defensive snaps against Indianapolis. Long has recorded 45 tackles, four passes defended and two interceptions this season, and he'll look to post another dominant performance against the Texans in Week 8.

Snags game-clinching INT in Week 5

Long recorded 11 tackles (six solo) and one interception during Sunday's 21-17 win over the Commanders.

Analysis: Long's game-sealing interception came with nine seconds remaining in the game when Washington was on Tennessee's two yard line down 21-17. The 25-year-old linebacker produced his best outing this season Sunday against the Commanders, as he amassed 11 tackles, which is good enough for the team-high in Week 5, as well as his season-high in that category. The 227-pounder played 100 percent of the team's defensive snaps Sunday, and he'll now rest up during the Titans' bye this weekend before…read more

Seven tackles in win

Long posted seven tackles (four solo), including one for loss, and a pass defense during Sunday's 24-17 win over the Colts.

Analysis: Long has played every defensive snap for the Titans in three games this season, and he's notched at least seven tackles in each of those contests. Across four games, he has 25 stops and is on track to match his career-high 75 stops, which he set in just 10 games during the 2021 campaign.

Makes eight tackles

Long recorded eight tackles during Sunday's 21-20 loss to the Giants.

Analysis: Long racked up a career-high 75 tackles in just 10 games last season, and it appears that he has a fair chance to surpass that mark in 2022. Of course, as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract, Long is still looking to record his first career sack.

Ends regular season with five stops

Long recorded five tackles in Sunday's 28-25 win over the Texans.

Analysis: Sunday's game marked Long's second since being activated from injured reserve after recovering from a hamstring injury. He was on the field for 100 percent of the defensive snaps but still managed only five tackles. Despite missing seven games this season, Long recorded a career-high 75 stops while also tallying his first two interceptions as a pro. He picked the right campaign to break out, as 2022 will mark the final year of his rookie contract.

Makes long-awaited return

Long (hamstring) was a full participant in practice Wednesday, Mike Glennon of SI.com reports.

Analysis: Long has been sidelined by his hamstring injury since Week 9, but he's finally healthy again. Look for the 2019 sixth-round pick to step back into a starting linebacker role Sunday against the Dolphins.

Won't play Thursday

Long (hamstring) will be out Thursday against the 49ers, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long has been out since Week 9 with the injury and won't return in Week 16, after not being able to practice all week. In his absence, Jayon Brown should continue to see a healthy dose of work.

Won't play Sunday

Long (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Steelers, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long hasn't suited up since Week 9. In his absence, Jayon Brown should continue to see additional work.

Absent from practice Thursday

Long (hamstring) didn't participate in Thursday's practice session, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Long has been out since Week 9, and it appears as though he's trending toward another absence in Week 15. If Long is held out once again, Jayon Brown should continue to see additional work.

Remains out in Week 14

Long (hamstring) won't play in Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Turron Davenport of ESPN reports.

Analysis: Long hasn't suited up since Week 9. The Titans scooped Zach Cunningham off waivers to provide additional depth at inside linebacker, bolstering a unit that will likely continue to feature Jayon Brown in a starting role for the duration of Long's absence.

Can't go in Week 12

Long (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Patriots, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long's absence extends to three games after he was unable to practice at all during the week. He'll get additional time to recover with Tennessee's bye coming in Week 13.

Ruled out for Week 11

Long (hamstring) won't play in Sunday's matchup against the Texans, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long will miss his second straight game due to a hamstring injury. Jayon Brown, who played every defensive snap for the Titans in Week 10, will likely draw another start at inside linebacker against Houston on Sunday.

Out with hamstring injury

Long has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Saints with a hamstring injury, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long has missed only a handful of snaps over the past two months since sitting out the season opener, but he won't be available for Sunday's contest. Jayon Brown should take on an increased role at inside linebacker for Tennessee.

Totals nine stops

Long had nine tackles (six solo) and one pass defensed during Sunday's 34-31 win over the Colts.

Analysis: Long played all 80 defensive snaps and led Tennessee in tackles while also registering two hits on the quarterback. The 25-year-old has 60 tackles (40 solo) and three passes defensed through seven games this year.

Tallies eight tackles

Long had eight tackles (six solo) and two passes defensed during Sunday's 27-3 win over Kansas City.

Analysis: Long finished tied for the team lead in tackles and now has 34 stops across his past three contests. The 2019 sixth-round pick will remain on the IDP radar as long as he keeps up that production level.

Posts season-high 12 tackles

Long recorded 12 tackles (10 solo) during Sunday's 37-19 win over the Jaguars.

Analysis: Long bounced back from a three-tackle performance against the Jets in Week 4 with his best outing of the season. The 25-year-old will look to build off his season-high performance against Josh Allen and the Bills in Week 6.

Leads way in tackles

Long recorded eight tackles and one tackle for a loss in Sunday's Week 3 win over the Colts.

Analysis: Since missing the team's opening contest, Long has played 98 and 100 percent of the defensive snaps in the following two games. He led the team with his eight tackles in Week 3, and now has 14 total on the season. He may fall into a rotational role once Jayon Brown fully returns from a hamstring injury, as Brown was limited to only nine defensive snaps against the Colts.

Ruled out for season opener

The Titans have ruled Long (hamstring) out for the season opener against the Cardinals, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: The Titans are already thin at linebacker with B.J. Bello (ankle) on IR. Monty Rice and Nick Dzubnar will act as the backups behind Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans on Sunday.

Erupts with 12 stops

Long posted 12 tackles (six solo) and a pass breakup in Sunday's 46-25 win over the Lions.

Analysis: Long played just 25 snaps on defense over the first eight games, but he has now strung together three consecutive starts. The second-year linebacker capitalized on the opportunity in Week 15, as he registered a team-high 12 stops. It's Long's job to lose now, and he'll look to keep the momentum rolling in next week's matchup against the Packers.

Returns from COVID list

Long (undisclosed) was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Analysis: Long was on the COVID-19 list for last week's win over Baltimore, but he's back on the active roster for Week 12. The 22-year-old should return to his role on special teams for the Titans.

Lands on COVID-19 list

Long (undisclosed) was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.

Analysis: It's unclear if the 22-year-old tested positive for the virus himself or if he came in close contact with an infected individual. Long will be unavailable until he clears the league's COVID-19 protocols.

Not suiting up Sunday

Long (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Steelers.

Analysis: The 2019 sixth-round pick was active for the first five games of the season, but he was mostly limited to special teams and played only 20 total defensive snaps. Long appeared in 14 games as a rookie last year and totaled 15 tackles in a similar role.

Suiting up Sunday

Long (knee) is officially active for Sunday's AFC Championship Game at Kansas City.

Analysis: Long didn't miss a practice during the week, so it's not a major surprise he'll be available Sunday. The 21-year-old primarily played special teams during the regular season but saw 47 defensive snaps last week against the Ravens with Jayon Brown (shoulder) sidelined. Long should return to a reserve role Sunday since Brown is also available.