Barack Obama cites Eagles DE Chris Long as 'what's best about America'

Former President Barack Obama gave Eagles defensive end Chris Long a shout out Friday for donating his entire 2017 salary to charity.

Obama tweeted praise for several Americans for their charitable and community work in 2017, noting that, "All across America people chose to get involved, get engaged and stand up. … For all the bad news that seemed to dominate our collective consciousness, there are countless stories from this year that remind us what's best about America.

"Chris Long gave his paychecks from the first six games of the NFL season to fund scholarships in Charlottesville, VA. He wanted to do more, so he decided to give away an entire season's salary. That's a story from 2017."

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Eagles’ Chris Long donating entire 2017 salary to educational equality
| Eagles' Chris Long to fund Charlottesville scholarships

Long, who has a base salary of $1 million this season, is funding two scholarships for students in Charlottesville, Va., and contributing to the "Pledge 10 for Tomorrow" effort to fund equal education opportunities. This is not Long's first foray into charitable work. The Chris Long Foundation has been active in veterans' causes, aiding the homeless and building drinking water wells in Africa.