About
Howie Long is a retired American NFL defensive end for the Oakland Raiders, as well as an actor and sports analyst. He was named to eight Pro Bowls during his career and led the Raiders to a Super Bowl championship win in 1984.
Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, Long was a successful athlete from a very young age, playing basketball, football, and track. At Villanova University he was a four-year letterman and was named MVP in 1980. By his senior year, Long was named an All-American. He also boxed at Villanova, and was the Northern Collegiate Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
Long was selected in the 1981 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, for which he went on to play 13 seasons and win eight Pro Bowl selections. Long acquired an impressive list of other honors during his career. He was named first team All-Pro three times, voted NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1985, won the George S. Halas Trophy, and was named Miller Lite NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year. Long collected 91 sacks and recovered 10 fumbles during his career, his signature defense move being “the rip,” which employed a quick, uppercut-like motion to break an opposing blocker’s grip.
Following his retirement from the NFL, Long pursued an acting career, appearing in mainly action films such as Firestorm, Broken Arrow, and 3000 Miles to Graceland. He was also a spokesman for Radio Shack, and appeared in advertising campaigns for Coors Lite, Nike, Frito Lay, Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, Honda, and Chevrolet.
In 1994, Long began as a studio analyst for NFL Sports alongside Terry Bradshaw. He also hosts Howie Long’s Tough Guys, an annual award show on Fox, where he awards the “toughest” NFL players with a Chevrolet Truck. Long is the author of Football for Dummies, and volunteers in his free time for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Long is a charismatic public speaker as well, and is often booked for corporate entertainment events.
