Howie Long's Wife Is a Book Writer and Mother of Three

NFL Hall of Fame inductee Howie Long has been married to Diane Addonizio for four decades after meeting in college. The longtime couple is also parents to three boys.

Not much information is available on Addonizio as she has mainly kept away from the spotlight. However, she has had a professional career independent of her husband, including being an author and lawyer.

Her three children have all been involved in football, like their father, in one way or another. The first two had successful stints in the league, while her youngest has been part of the backroom staff in the Raiders organization, where his father played his whole career.

Howie Long and Diane Addonizio attend the "Firestorm" Westwood Premiere at Mann National Theatre in Westwood, California on January 7, 1998 | Source: Getty Images

Who's Diane Addonizio?

Addonizio's personal life is little known except that she is a native of Red Bank, New Jersey. Furthermore, she holds two college degrees from two universities.

Initially, she studied Classical Studies at Pennsylvania's Villanova University. After that, she furthered her education by doing two years of law school at the University of Southern California. That enabled her to practice law, which she did in Los Angeles for a while.

Addonizio is also an author. She wrote a book called "He's Just My Dad!: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children." The book was released in 2000 and features a captivating collection of stunning behind-the-scenes pictures of celebrity athletes and their kids.

Howie and Diane's Love Story

Addonizio and Howie first encountered each other at Villanova University, where they studied for bachelor's degrees in Classic Studies and Communications, respectively. When they met, she was a freshman, and he was in his sophomore year.

Addonizio recalls that her first impression of him was he was moody and difficult to understand — "but attractive... I'd never met anyone that big who was that good-looking." They had their first date watching a football game on a small black and white TV in Howie's room. His grandmother had given him the TV.

After that successful date, thanks to the TV from his grandma, which was just good enough to watch Howie's favorite sport, Addonizio understood her moody giant a little more. However, she still conceded that it took her more time to understand him better as there was a lack of stability in his life, especially family-wise.

Howie, Christopher and Diane Long at home, in Redondo Beach, California in December 20, 1986 | Source: Getty Images

Long and Addonizio Have 3 Kids

Addonizio and Howie later married in 1982 and have had three children, all boys. They welcomed their first child, Chris Long, about three years after their wedding. He was born in Santa Monica, California, on March 28, 1985. With a body built like his father's, he also played in the NFL as a Defensive end.

Before entering the NFL, he was seen as a future superstar of the game, and that was confirmed when he was drafted second overall in the 2008 NFL draft. He played for three teams throughout his career, including the New England Patriots, where he won one of his two Super Bowls, playing alongside NFL legend Tom Brady.

Chris retired from the game, playing his final season in 2018, and currently hosts a podcast called "Green Light with Chris Long." However, that was not the end of the Long family legacy on NFL fields. Addonizio's second son, Kyle Long, is still active in the league, although currently not attached to any team.

Kyle was born in Ivy, Virginia, on December 5, 1988. His professional career began in 2013 when he was picked 20th overall in the NFL draft that year. He first played for the Chicago Bears from 2013 to 2019 before a one-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. He had initially announced his retirement in 2019.

Howie and Addonizio's last child, Howard Long Jr., was named after his father. However, he is the only one of their children who didn't quite follow in his father's footsteps on the football field. Instead, he is involved in the business side of the sport, working as a premium sales consultant for the Oakland Raiders.

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