Who Is Diane Addonizio? Howie Long’s Wife and the Mother of Chris and Kyle Long
Diane Addonizio is best known as the wife of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long. She is also the mother of three sons, two of whom became NFL stars. Her name comes up often in searches, but she keeps a quiet life, so reliable details are not always easy to find.
Quick Bio Of Diane Addonizio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Diane Addonizio |
| Known as | Wife of Howie Long |
| Husband | Howie Long, NFL Hall of Famer and TV analyst |
| How they met | At Villanova University, during Howie’s first year there |
| Married | 1982 |
| Children | Three sons: Chris, Kyle and Howie Jr. |
| Grandchildren | At least two, through her son Chris |
| Public profile | Low. She is rarely in interviews |
| Famous family link | Mother of two NFL players and wife of a Pro Football Hall of Famer |
Who Is Diane Addonizio?
Diane Addonizio is the wife of Howie Long, one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history. Together they raised three sons in a family that is deeply connected to American football.
Unlike her husband, Diane is not a TV personality or an athlete. She does not have a public career that is well documented. Most of what people know about her comes from her family’s story, mainly from profiles of Howie and from stories about her sons.
That is why many articles about her repeat the same basic facts. In this piece, I keep to the details that appear in trusted sources and I clearly mark anything that is uncertain.
How Diane Met Howie Long
According to a long Sports Illustrated profile from 1985, which is often used as a source for Howie’s biography, Howie met Diane during his first year at Villanova University. Villanova is near Philadelphia, and Howie played football there from 1977 to 1980.
At that time, Howie was not yet famous. He grew up in the Boston area, mostly with his uncles and his grandmother. He played for the Villanova Wildcats and earned a degree in communications. In 1981, the Oakland Raiders picked him in the second round of the NFL draft.
Diane and Howie married in 1982. That means they got married while Howie was still very new to the NFL. They have now been together for decades, which is a long time for a couple who lived through the pressure of pro sports.
Life as the Wife of an NFL Star
Howie Long played 13 seasons for the Raiders, first in Oakland and then in Los Angeles. During that time he:
- Won Super Bowl XVIII with the Raiders
- Was picked for eight Pro Bowls
- Was named first-team All-Pro three times
- Retired after the 1993 season
In 2000, he went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
After football, Howie built a second career. In 1994, he joined Fox as a studio analyst for its NFL coverage, and he still works there today. He won a Sports Emmy in 1996 for his TV work. He also acted in action movies, including Broken Arrow and Firestorm, and he appeared in many TV commercials.
A career like this means a lot of travel, long hours and public attention. Diane has stayed mostly out of that spotlight. She has been seen at some events with Howie, such as film premieres and a roast for Terry Bradshaw, who is a close friend of the family. But she has not become a media star herself.
Diane Addonizio’s Three Sons
The biggest part of Diane’s public story is her family. She and Howie have three sons: Chris, Kyle and Howie Jr. Here is what we know about each one.
Chris Long
Chris is the oldest. He was born on March 28, 1985, in Santa Monica, California. He grew up partly in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he went to St. Anne’s-Belfield School, and later he played college football at the University of Virginia.
His college years were very successful. He was a unanimous All-American in 2007 and won the Ted Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in the country. Virginia even retired his number 91 jersey while he was still playing, which was a first.
In 2008, the St. Louis Rams picked him second overall in the NFL draft. He played eight seasons with the Rams, then one season with the New England Patriots and two with the Philadelphia Eagles. He won Super Bowl LI with the Patriots and Super Bowl LII with the Eagles. Only a few players have ever won back-to-back Super Bowls with two different teams.
Chris is also known for his work off the field. He gave his entire 2017 salary to charity. In 2018, he received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his charity work. He also started a foundation that helps build water wells in East Africa. He retired in May 2019, after 11 NFL seasons.
Today he hosts the Green Light podcast and is a panelist on the show Inside the NFL. He married Megan O’Malley in 2013, and they have two children. That makes Diane and Howie grandparents.
Kyle Long
Kyle is the middle son. He was born on December 5, 1988, in Ivy, Virginia. He also went to St. Anne’s-Belfield School. In high school he played both football and baseball, and the Chicago White Sox even picked him in the 2008 baseball draft. He chose to go to college instead.
His path to the NFL was not a straight line. He started at Florida State, then left the school. Later he played at Saddleback College in California, where he moved from defensive end to the offensive line. He then played one season at the University of Oregon.
In 2013, the Chicago Bears picked him 20th overall. He did well right away. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and he went to three Pro Bowls in a row from 2013 to 2015. In 2014, he was named second-team All-Pro. Injuries hurt his later seasons, and he announced his retirement in January 2020. He later signed with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season but did not play a game because of a knee injury.
Kyle now works in TV. He is a studio analyst for CBS Sports.
Howie Long Jr.
Howie Jr. is the youngest son. He chose a different route from his brothers and works in the football business. He has worked in player personnel for the Raiders, the same team his father played for. Wikipedia describes him as a scouting and personnel assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders.
He gets less media attention than Chris and Kyle, so there are fewer public details about his life.
Why the Long Family Stands Out
Few families have a story like this one. Howie is in the Hall of Fame. Chris won two Super Bowls. Kyle played in three Pro Bowls. Howie Jr. works inside an NFL team’s front office.
Chris was also only the second son of a Hall of Famer to be picked in the first round of the NFL draft, after Kellen Winslow II. Kyle was a first-round pick as well, which makes the Longs a rare father and sons story in the NFL.
Diane is at the center of this family. Public sources do not tell us much about her daily life or her parenting style, so I will not guess. But raising three boys who all stayed close to football, while their father was a famous athlete, is a big part of her story.
What Is Not Clear About Diane Addonizio
If you search for Diane online, you will find many websites with very different details. This is a good reason to be careful.
Here are the facts that vary from site to site:
- Her birth date and birthplace. Different websites give different years and different places. I could not confirm any of them in a major source, so I left them out.
- Her job. Some websites say she is a lawyer or a former lawyer. Others say she was an actress or a model. I did not find a reliable source for any of these claims, so treat them as unconfirmed.
- Her net worth. You will see numbers online, but they are guesses, and I did not find a trusted source for them.
- Exact wedding date. The year 1982 is confirmed, but some sites give a full date that I could not check in a major source.
A good rule is to trust details that are repeated by major sports sources and the Hall of Fame, and to doubt details that only appear on small lifestyle sites.
Diane Addonizio and Privacy
Diane has chosen a private life. She does not seem to give many interviews. That is not unusual for the spouse of an athlete. Many families protect their privacy, especially when their children are also in the public eye.
Because of this, it is better to enjoy what we know and avoid guessing. Her family has shared many public moments, such as NFL games, award events and family photos. But her personal thoughts and daily life are her own.
Final Thoughts
Diane Addonizio is the wife of Howie Long and the mother of Chris, Kyle and Howie Jr. She met Howie at Villanova, and they married in 1982. Since then, she has been part of one of the best-known football families in the United States.
Her husband became a Hall of Famer and a TV star. Her son Chris won two Super Bowls and is known for his charity work. Her son Kyle made three Pro Bowls and now works in TV. Her youngest son, Howie Jr., works in football operations.
She may not be a public figure in her own right, but her story is a big part of the Long family’s success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Diane Addonizio?
Diane Addonizio is the wife of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long. She is also the mother of NFL players Chris Long and Kyle Long, and of Howie Long Jr.
When did Diane Addonizio marry Howie Long?
They married in 1982. They met at Villanova University while Howie was a student there.
How many children do Diane and Howie Long have?
They have three sons: Chris, Kyle and Howie Jr. Chris and Kyle are retired NFL players, and Howie Jr. works for the Las Vegas Raiders.
What does Diane Addonizio do for a living?
There is no clear, confirmed answer in trusted sources. Some websites call her a lawyer, but this is not backed up by major sources, so it is best to treat it as unconfirmed.
Is Diane Addonizio active on social media?
She keeps a low public profile, and reliable sources do not point to a verified public account for her. Be careful with fan pages and accounts that claim to be hers.
MORE INFORMATION STAY CONNECT FOR : PAPULAR NEWS
