When you hear the name Howie Long, images of an NFL Hall of Famer crushing quarterbacks come to mind. But behind the defensive legend stands someone equally accomplished—Diane Addonizio. Born March 16, 1962, in Red Bank, New Jersey, she’s a former corporate lawyer, successful author, and mother of three NFL players. At 63 years old in 2025, she’s built a life that balances professional achievement with fierce dedication to family privacy.
Diane Addonizio has been Howie Long’s wife since 1982, a former USC-trained lawyer who stepped away from corporate litigation to raise three sons—Chris, Kyle, and Howie Jr.—all of whom pursued careers in professional football. She authored “He’s Just My Dad!” in 2000 and maintains an estimated net worth of $1 million while residing in Albemarle County, Virginia.
Early Life and Educational Foundation
Diane grew up in Monmouth County, New Jersey, shaped by values that would define her later choices. Her father, Frank Addonizio, served in both World War II and the Korean War before working security for an IIT subsidiary. Her mother, Marie Cecere, created a stable home environment. These influences planted seeds of discipline and perseverance.
She attended Villanova University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies—a field requiring analytical rigor and historical understanding. The choice reveals intellectual depth beyond surface expectations. After Villanova, she pursued law at the University of Southern California School of Law, completing her legal education with the credentials to practice corporate litigation.
Meeting Howie Long at Villanova
Their story began in the late 1970s at Villanova University. Diane met Howie during his time with the Wildcats football program. Their relationship developed through shared classes and quiet conversations—no Hollywood dramatics, just two ambitious students finding common ground.
In interviews, Diane recalled Howie’s initial moodiness and the challenge of breaking through his reserved exterior. What struck her was his physical presence—she’d never met anyone that imposing who also possessed genuine sincerity. Their first official date happened when Howie invited her to his dorm room to watch an NFL game. Simple. Authentic. Real.
On June 27, 1982, they married in an intimate ceremony reflecting their shared values. The timing aligned with Howie’s entry into the NFL, drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round just one year earlier.
The Career She Left Behind
After law school, Diane practiced corporate litigation for several years. Her legal training provided analytical skills and strategic thinking that would later benefit the family in unexpected ways. She understood contracts, negotiations, and the business side of professional sports.
When their third son, Howie Jr., arrived, Diane made a calculated decision. She stepped away from active legal practice to focus on raising their children during Howie’s demanding NFL career. In his 2000 Hall of Fame induction speech, Howie credited her directly: she “walked away from a career as a corporate litigator” so he could pursue his professional dreams.
This wasn’t surrender—it was a strategic reallocation of resources. Someone needed to provide stability while Howie faced eight Pro Bowl selections, three Super Bowl appearances, and the relentless travel schedule of an elite defensive end.
Raising Three NFL Sons
Diane and Howie have three sons, each carving distinct paths through the football world:
Christopher Howard Long (born March 28, 1985) became the St. Louis Rams’ second overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played 11 seasons as a defensive end with the Rams, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles. Chris won back-to-back Super Bowls with different teams—Super Bowl LI with the Patriots and Super Bowl LII with the Eagles. In 2018, he received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award after donating his entire 2017 salary to charity. He recorded 70 career sacks before retiring in 2019.
Kyle Long (born December 5, 1988) was selected 20th overall by the Chicago Bears in 2013. The guard earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections (2013-2015) and made NFL.com’s All-Rookie Team. After retiring in 2019, he briefly returned with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021 before injuries ended his comeback. Kyle now works as a CBS Sports analyst and co-hosts a podcast with Chris.
Howard Long Jr. (born 1990) chose a different route. He studied at the University of Virginia and now works in player personnel for the Las Vegas Raiders. His behind-the-scenes role demonstrates that success doesn’t require playing on Sundays.
Diane prioritized education alongside athletic development. Her sons grew up understanding that character mattered more than statistics. Chris’s philanthropic work and Kyle’s broadcasting career show the values she instilled took root.
Author and Creative Pursuits
In 2000, Diane published “He’s Just My Dad!: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children.” The book explores father-child relationships in professional sports through interviews and photography. Led by photographer Sam Abell, the project features 200 photographs capturing athletes at home with their families.
The book reflects Diane’s unique perspective—someone who lived inside the NFL family experience while maintaining analytical distance. Her passion for photography, understanding of sports culture, and appreciation for fatherhood combined to create something both personal and universal.
Supporting Howie’s Post-NFL Career
After Howie retired in 1993, Diane’s legal background became valuable again. She offered practical advice on contract negotiations and business opportunities as Howie transitioned into acting and broadcasting. Her knowledge helped him evaluate roles in films like “Broken Arrow” (1996) and “Firestorm” (1998), plus his long-running position with FOX Sports’ NFL coverage since 1994.
She ensured each decision aligned with their long-term family vision. Not every opportunity was worth the trade-off. Her voice provided balance between ambition and family stability.
Life in Albemarle County, Virginia
The Long family resides in Albemarle County, Virginia, close to Charlottesville. The location offers proximity to major cities for Howie’s broadcasting work while maintaining the privacy Diane values. It’s close to the University of Virginia, where Howie Jr. studied.
The region provides outdoor recreation, good schools, and a community that respects personal space. No celebrity enclaves. No constant paparazzi presence. Just a comfortable home base for family gatherings as their sons start families of their own. Diane now embraces her role as grandmother to Chris’s children, including sons Waylon and Luke.
The Woman Who Chooses Privacy
Diane maintains virtually no social media presence. In 2025, when public figures treat platforms like oxygen, her absence feels almost radical. She rarely gives interviews and appears publicly only to support Howie or their sons at significant events.
This discretion isn’t an accident—it’s a strategy. She’s deliberately created boundaries between private life and public curiosity. The approach has allowed her to protect her family’s normalcy and maintain control over what matters most.
Estimated Net Worth and Financial Independence
Diane’s estimated net worth sits around $1 million as of 2025. This comes from her legal career, business ventures, book royalties, and smart financial management. Her husband’s net worth reaches approximately $16 million from his NFL career, broadcasting work, and acting roles.
But Diane built her own financial independence. She’s not simply benefiting from Howie’s success—she contributed her own professional earnings and made decisions that allowed his career to flourish.
Physical Appearance and Public Presence
Diane stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 128 pounds. She has brown eyes and maintains golden-brown hair. Her style reflects classic elegance rather than trendy excess. When she appears at events with Howie, she projects confidence and grace without seeking the spotlight.
At 63, she represents someone who takes care of herself while embracing natural aging. No desperate attempts to reclaim youth. Just healthy maintenance of physical wellbeing.
The Long Family Legacy
Diane’s influence extends beyond her immediate household. Chris’s charitable foundation work—including his “Waterboys” initiative providing sustainable wells in Africa—reflects the values she emphasized. Kyle’s transition into media shows the adaptability she modeled. Howie Jr.’s work with the Raiders keeps the family connected to football’s operational side.
The family’s success isn’t accidental. It’s the result of Diane creating an environment where ambition, education, and character development could coexist. She proved you can raise competitive athletes without sacrificing their humanity.
Philanthropic Involvement
While Diane keeps charitable work private, she’s known to participate in community service projects and events related to education and child welfare. She doesn’t publicize this involvement, preferring action over recognition. This approach aligns with her overall philosophy—do meaningful work without requiring applause.
What Makes Her Story Matter
Diane Addonizio represents an alternative model for success. Not everyone needs platforms, followers, or constant visibility. Some people achieve meaningful impact through quiet dedication to family, strategic career choices, and unwavering support of others’ ambitions.
Her 42-year marriage to Howie challenges narratives about celebrity relationships inevitably failing. They built something sustainable by keeping their foundation private and their priorities clear. She walked away from a promising legal career not as a sacrifice but as a strategic reallocation—investing in long-term family outcomes over short-term professional achievements.
Current Life at 63
In 2025, Diane continues supporting Howie’s FOX Sports work while enjoying her role as a grandmother. She lives the life she carefully constructed—balanced between public support and private fulfillment. Her sons have established their own careers and families. The choices she made decades ago produced the outcomes she wanted.
She won’t write memoirs or launch podcasts. She’s not interested in brand partnerships or influencer status. She’s built something more valuable—a stable family, a respected career history, and a life lived on her own terms. That’s exactly how she prefers it.