Howie Long is one of the most respected figures in NFL history, a Hall of Fame defensive end turned longtime Fox Sports analyst. But behind the football legend stands a woman who has been with him through every chapter: his wife, Diane Addonizio Long. Married since 1982, Diane is an attorney, author, and businesswoman who raised three sons who each went on to successful careers connected to the NFL. Search interest in the “wife of Howie Long” keeps growing, and the story of Diane Addonizio is about far more than being a celebrity spouse.
Unlike many high-profile sports couples, Howie and Diane Long have kept their marriage largely private for more than four decades. Diane chose family life over an active legal career, helped raise two NFL players and a football executive, and built her own identity as an educated, accomplished woman. Here is a complete, fact-checked look at who Diane Addonizio Long is, how the couple met, their marriage and family, her career, and her net worth.
Key Takeaways
The wife of Howie Long is Diane Addonizio Long, an attorney and businesswoman married to the NFL Hall of Famer since 1982. She studied classical studies at Villanova University, earned her law degree from the USC School of Law, and is the author of the book “He’s Just My Dad” (2000). Howie and Diane have three sons: Chris Long, a two-time Super Bowl champion; Kyle Long, a former Pro Bowl NFL offensive lineman; and Howie Long Jr., who works in player personnel for the Raiders. No exact, publicly verified net worth figure exists for Diane Long; her net worth is not publicly disclosed.
Who is Howie Long’s wife?
Diane Addonizio Long is the wife of former NFL defensive end and Fox Sports analyst Howie Long. She is an American attorney, author, and businesswoman best known for her more than four-decade marriage to the football legend and for raising three sons who all pursued careers connected to the NFL.
Diane and Howie met in the late 1970s while both were students at Villanova University. She was a classical studies major; he was a rising star on the Villanova football team who would go on to be drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 1981. After graduating from Villanova, Diane earned her law degree from the University of Southern California School of Law and began working as an attorney.
Unlike the typical image of a celebrity spouse, Diane built her own professional identity first. She practiced law early in her career before making the decision to step back from the courtroom to raise her family, a choice she has described as deliberate and fulfilling. She later authored a coffee-table book, “He’s Just My Dad,” published in 2000 by Harper Entertainment, offering a behind-the-scenes look at life as the family of a football star.
How long have Howie Long and Diane been married?
Howie Long and Diane Addonizio were married on June 27, 1982, which means they have been married for more than 43 years as of 2026. They wed the year after Howie entered the NFL with the Raiders, right as his professional football career was taking off.
Their marriage has lasted through Howie’s entire 13-season playing career, his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, his transition to broadcasting with Fox Sports, and the raising of three sons. In an industry where celebrity marriages are often short-lived, the Longs’ union stands out as one of the longest and most stable marriages in the sports world.
Both have credited their shared values, rooted in their Villanova years, for keeping the family grounded despite the fame and money that came with Howie’s career. Diane has remained largely out of the spotlight, appearing publicly mainly at NFL events, Hall of Fame ceremonies, and charity functions alongside her husband. For readers curious about the spouses of other football figures, our profile of Diane Addonizio’s biography explores her story in even more detail.
Who are Howie Long’s children?
Howie and Diane Long have three sons, each of whom built a career connected to professional football. Here is the family at a glance:
| Son | Birth year | Career |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Long (Christopher Howard Long) | 1985 | NFL defensive end for 11 seasons (2008-2019); two-time Super Bowl champion; Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year; now a media personality and philanthropist |
| Kyle Long (Kyle Howard Long) | 1988 | NFL offensive guard; three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Chicago Bears; later played for the Kansas City Chiefs |
| Howie Long Jr. (Howard Long Jr.) | 1990 | Played college football at the University of Virginia; now works in player personnel with the Raiders organization |
Chris Long, the eldest, was drafted second overall by the St. Louis Rams in 2008 and went on to win Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. He is widely admired for donating his entire 2017 season salary to charity and for his work through the Chris Long Foundation. He also hosts the popular “Green Light” podcast.
Kyle Long, the middle son, became one of the league’s top interior offensive linemen, earning three straight Pro Bowl selections with the Chicago Bears before later joining the Kansas City Chiefs. Like his brother, he has also moved into sports media in retirement.
The youngest, Howie Long Jr., took a different route. Rather than pursuing an NFL playing career, he studied at the University of Virginia, played varsity football there, and moved into the business side of the sport, working in player personnel and scouting for the Raiders, the same franchise where his father became a legend.
What did Diane Long do for a career?
Diane Addonizio earned a bachelor’s degree in classical studies from Villanova University and then completed her law degree at the University of Southern California School of Law. She worked as an attorney early in her career, establishing herself as a qualified legal professional before her family took center stage.
As Howie’s NFL career grew and the couple started their family, Diane made a conscious decision to step away from active legal practice to manage the household and raise their three sons. Friends and profiles of the family have noted that she treated running the Long household and guiding her children’s development with the same seriousness she brought to her legal work.
Beyond family life, Diane has also worked as a businesswoman and author. Her 2000 book, “He’s Just My Dad,” gave fans a rare glimpse into the Long family’s home life, blending family photos with reflections on raising children in the shadow of NFL fame. She has also been involved in philanthropy, including support for the Howie and Diane Long Football Scholarship at Villanova. If you enjoy stories about spouses of sports figures who built their own paths, you may also like our profile of Shamicka Gibbs.
What is Diane Long’s net worth?
There is no exact, publicly verified net worth figure for Diane Addonizio Long. No reputable financial publication such as Forbes or Bloomberg has published a documented net worth for her, and she has never publicly disclosed her finances.
Various entertainment and biography websites circulate estimates of her net worth, but these numbers are speculative and cannot be independently verified. Because Diane stepped back from her legal career to raise her family and has kept her finances private, any specific dollar figure you see online should be treated as an unverified estimate rather than a confirmed fact.
What is verifiable is that Diane shares in the considerable wealth built over Howie Long’s long and successful career. Howie earned a strong NFL salary during his 13 seasons with the Raiders, then built an even longer and highly lucrative second career as a lead analyst on Fox Sports’ NFL coverage, a role he has held for decades. Together, the couple has also benefited from real estate and long-term investments typical of a family at their level of success. For more stories like this, visit the DigitalGeekSpot homepage, where we cover net worth profiles with a strict no-fabrication policy.
How does Diane Long handle public life?
Diane Long is known for valuing privacy. Despite being married to one of football’s most visible media personalities, she rarely gives interviews and does not maintain a public social media presence. Her public appearances are generally limited to milestone events, such as Howie’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, NFL honors ceremonies, and charitable functions.
This low-profile approach has been a defining trait of the Long family. Even as her sons became stars in their own right, with Chris and Kyle playing in multiple Super Bowls, Diane stayed in the background, letting her family’s accomplishments speak for themselves. Sports journalists who have profiled the family consistently describe her as intelligent, gracious, and deeply committed to keeping the family grounded.
FAQs about the wife of Howie Long
Who is Howie Long’s wife?
Howie Long’s wife is Diane Addonizio Long, an attorney, author, and businesswoman. She married the NFL Hall of Famer in 1982 and is the mother of their three sons.
When did Howie Long get married?
Howie Long married Diane Addonizio on June 27, 1982. They met years earlier as students at Villanova University in the late 1970s.
How many children do Howie and Diane Long have?
They have three sons: Chris Long (born 1985), Kyle Long (born 1988), and Howie Long Jr. Chris and Kyle both played in the NFL, while Howie Jr. works in player personnel for the Raiders.
What is Diane Addonizio’s profession?
Diane Addonizio earned her law degree from the University of Southern California School of Law and worked as an attorney. She later stepped back from legal practice to raise her family, and she also authored the book “He’s Just My Dad” (2000).
What is Diane Long’s net worth?
There is no publicly verified net worth figure for Diane Long. She has never disclosed her finances, and any specific dollar amount circulating online is an unverified estimate.
Did Diane Long write a book?
Yes. In 2000, Diane Long published “He’s Just My Dad” through Harper Entertainment, a coffee-table style book about family life with an NFL star.
Where did Howie Long and his wife meet?
They met at Villanova University in the late 1970s, where Diane studied classical studies and Howie played college football before being drafted by the Raiders.
In summary, Diane Addonizio Long is far more than just the answer to “who is the wife of Howie Long.” She is an educated professional who built a legal career, authored a book, supported a Hall of Fame husband through a 43-plus-year marriage, and raised three accomplished sons. Her story is a reminder that behind many sports legends stands a partner whose quiet strength helped make it all possible.
