Minneapolis: Chris Long has spent this season playing for nothing — but a second Super Bowl ring in as many seasons would be more than adequate compensation for the hulking Philadelphia Eagles defensive end.

The 32-year-old veteran made headlines this year by giving away his entire paycheck to worthy causes, a way of expressing gratitude for a decade in the bruising front lines of the NFL.

The articulate, 6ft 3in (1.91m) linebacker is now back in the Super Bowl for a second straight year, 12 months after winning the title with the New England Patriots, who he will line up against on Sunday.

As well as his salary give-away, Long has also been a vocal supporter of Eagles team-mates who have protested against social injustice this season.

Just as he did last year following the Patriots win, he has already vowed not to attend a White House reception should the Eagles win.

“Everybody wants to improve their country,” Long told reporters in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

“And athletes have a big platform. And at the end of the day I think we have a responsibility,” he added, while playing down the significance of his decision to give away his paychecks.

“I’ve been lucky, played 10 years and made a lot of money,” Long told AFP.

“So I make no bones about it. I’m not the first guy to give away a million dollars to a cause. There’s a lot of charitable guys in the league, and a lot of charitable guys outside the league.

“But the cool thing about my platform is that with social media I have a unique opportunity to get more people involved, and that’s what I did this year. I doubled my investment through fans, businesses, to grow.” Topped up by matching donations, Long has raised just under $2 million (1.61 million euros) for charities.

His first six donated game cheques went towards creating two scholarships at a private school in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The money will provide two students with seven years of all-expenses-paid tuition.

Agence France-Presse