Diane Addonizio: The Remarkable Life of Howie Long’s Wife
Diane Addonizio is best known as the wife of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long, but that short label leaves out most of her story. She trained as a lawyer, worked in corporate litigation, wrote a book about athletes as fathers, and helped raise three sons in one of football’s most famous families. She did all of this while staying largely out of the spotlight.
Searches for her name usually ask: who is she, was she really a lawyer, and how many children does she have? This guide answers with documented facts, and says plainly where the record runs out.
Who Is Diane Addonizio?
Diane Addonizio, also known publicly as Diane Long, is an American former attorney and author. She is married to Howie Long, the former Raiders defensive end who later became a Fox Sports analyst.
She keeps a low profile. She does not run a public social media brand, and she rarely gives interviews. That choice is part of why so many online profiles about her are filled with guesses. The documented parts of her life, though, are strong enough on their own.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Diane Addonizio (also Diane Long) |
| Known for | Former attorney, author, wife of Howie Long |
| Education | Villanova University; USC Gould School of Law |
| Degrees | B.A. in Classical Studies (1982); J.D. (1986) |
| Bar admission | California Bar, 1987 |
| Former profession | Corporate litigator |
| Spouse | Howie Long, married 1982 |
| Children | Chris Long, Kyle Long, Howard “Howie” Long Jr. |
| Book | He’s Just My Dad! (2000) |
From Classical Studies to Law
Diane’s college path surprises many readers. At Villanova University, she majored in Classical Studies and graduated in 1982. That subject covers ancient languages, history, and literature. It may sound far from law, but it trains exactly the skills lawyers use: reading hard texts closely, building arguments, and writing with care.
After Villanova, she went to the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She earned her Juris Doctor in 1986 and was admitted to the California Bar in 1987, according to Villanova’s own biographical material.
A Career in Corporate Litigation
After law school, Diane practiced law for several years. Howie later described her work more precisely during his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech: she had been a corporate litigator.
Her career changed direction after her third son was born. In his Hall of Fame speech, Howie said publicly that Diane left corporate litigation so he could keep pursuing his career, and he thanked her for the sacrifice. He called her his closest supporter, his critic, and his voice of reason.
How She Met Howie Long at Villanova
Diane and Howie met as students at Villanova University, well before he became a star. Their relationship began in those college years, and they married in 1982.
That order of events shapes the whole story. She knew him before the fame, before the Super Bowl ring, and before the television career. She watched the change happen up close, not from the stands.
Howie’s own rise was fast. The Raiders picked him in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft, 48th overall. He spent 13 seasons with the Raiders, won Super Bowl XVIII, made eight Pro Bowls, and entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. You can read more about that career on Howie Long’s Wikipedia page.
Marriage and Three Sons
Diane and Howie have been married since 1982, a marriage that has now lasted more than four decades. They have three sons, and each one found his own place in the football world.
Chris Long
Chris, the eldest, became an NFL defensive lineman like his father. He played for the St. Louis Rams, the New England Patriots, and the Philadelphia Eagles, and he won two Super Bowls. Carrying a famous surname brings extra pressure, with every game inviting comparison to a Hall of Fame father. Chris built a career long and strong enough to stand on its own.
Kyle Long
Kyle took a different path on the field. He became an offensive lineman, best known for his years with the Chicago Bears, and later spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2013, his Bears faced Chris’s Rams, putting two brothers on opposite sides of an NFL game. For their parents, that was more than a fun fact. It was proof that two sons from the same home had each reached the top of the sport on their own merit.
Howie Long Jr.
The youngest son, Howard “Howie” Long Jr., chose the business side of football rather than playing. He has worked in player personnel for the Raiders, the same franchise his father played for. Scouting, contracts, and team operations keep a club running, and his career shows that the family’s football story is wider than just the players on the field.
Her Book: He’s Just My Dad!
Diane’s writing career is one of the least-known parts of her life, and one of the most interesting. In 2000, writing as Diane Long, she published He’s Just My Dad!: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children.
The book runs 176 pages and pairs more than 200 photographs with interviews Diane conducted with athletes and their families. Its idea is simple and smart. Fans see athletes as stats, trophies, and highlight reels. Their children see them at home, where a famous player is just Dad.
Community Work and Giving Back
Diane’s public record goes beyond law and writing. Villanova reported in 2015 that she was a longtime board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia and had served as honorary chair of a campaign to build a new club facility in Charlottesville. The university also named her a member of the NFL Heads Up Football Advisory Committee, which works on safer play and youth football.
That same year, Villanova announced a $1 million commitment from Diane and Howie to support the university’s athletics priorities. The announcement also noted earlier family giving, including an endowed football scholarship in memory of Howie’s grandmother.
Privacy, Age, and Net Worth: What Is Not Confirmed
Honest biographies need a section like this one, because the internet is full of confident claims about Diane that do not hold up.
First, her exact birth date. Many celebrity sites print a specific birthday and age for her. Villanova’s biographical material, the strongest source available, gives her education and career dates but does not confirm a precise birth date. Until a reliable primary source confirms it, this guide will not present a birthday as fact.
Second, her net worth. Several sites attach dollar figures to her name. No audited record or reliable financial disclosure backs up a personal net worth figure for her, so repeating one would be guesswork dressed as fact. The same applies to height, weight, and other private details that circulate without a source.
Conclusion
Diane Addonizio’s life does not fit the usual celebrity-spouse mold. She earned a humanities degree, finished law school, practiced as a corporate litigator, raised three sons who each built their own football careers, wrote a book about athletes as fathers, and gave back to youth and university causes. She did it while staying private in an age that rewards the opposite.
Perhaps the clearest sign of her impact came from Howie himself. On the biggest night of his career, at his Hall of Fame induction, he used part of his speech to thank her and to name what she had given up for their family. Fame gave him the stage. She helped make the life behind it work.
That is why her story lasts: education, hard choices, steady work, and a family that stayed close through decades of public attention.
FAQs
Who is Diane Addonizio?
She is a former attorney and author, and the wife of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long. She graduated from Villanova University in 1982, earned a law degree from USC in 1986, and was admitted to the California Bar in 1987.
Was she really a lawyer?
Yes. Villanova confirms her law degree, bar admission, and years of legal practice. Howie Long described her work as corporate litigation in his Hall of Fame speech.
How did she meet Howie Long?
They met as students at Villanova University, before his NFL career took off, and married in 1982.
How many children do Diane and Howie Long have?
They have three sons: Chris Long, Kyle Long, and Howard “Howie” Long Jr. Chris and Kyle played in the NFL, while Howie Jr. works on the football business side.
What book did she write?
In 2000, writing as Diane Long, she published He’s Just My Dad!: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children, a photo and interview book about famous athletes as fathers.
Is Diane Addonizio the same person as Diane Lou Oswald?
No. That is a common mix-up between two different women with the first name Diane. Diane Lou Oswald was the mother of actor Woody Harrelson. Diane Addonizio is the wife of Howie Long, and their families are entirely separate.
