Meet Diane Addonizio, Howie Long's Wife of Over 40 Years

Publish date: 2024-05-17

Diane Addonizio is the wife of Howie Long, the former NFL defensive end. Born on March 16th, 1962, Diana, who used to work as a lawyer and businesswoman, is currently 61 years old and has been married to Howie for over four decades.

Diana married Howie in 1982 after dating for several years. The duo first met during their days as students at Villanova University. Howie later proposed to his college sweetheart after he signed his first deal as a professional football player in 1981, and they wedded the next year. Their union is blessed with three sons who are all part of the National Football League.

Summary of Diane Addonizio’s Biography

What is Diane Addonizio’s Ethnicity

Diane Addonizio is Caucasian. She was born on March 16th, 1962, in New Jersey, precisely in Red Bank, Monmouth County. Diana’s place of birth is obviously an indication of her American nationality.

Diana was born to Frank Addonizio, a war veteran who later earned a living as a staff of one Indian Institute of Technology subsidiary. He resided on the Longs’ (Diana’s matrimonial family) 65-acre property in a comfortable cottage. In his early 80s, Frank was diagnosed with lymphoma, but nothing has been heard about his condition since then.

Diana’s mother, on the other hand, isn’t as well-known as her husband. We were only told that she is called Maria Cecere and nothing more.

Far from being the only child born to Frank and Cecere, Diane Addonizio spent her growing up years alongside one brother who goes by the name James Addonizio. James studied law like his sister and is practicing the profession to date. The duo were raised in the Catholic faith.

She is a Law Graduate

Addonizio studied law at the university. Prior to that, she was a student at Red Bank High School in her locality. She also passed through Middletown Highschool South. Her days in high school saw her take a scholarly interest in both dramatics and political science. Also, during her days in High school, Diana Addonizio won Monmouth County Beauty Contest; she achieved this feat on May 12, 1978.

Diana’s quest for further academic qualifications took the New Jersey native to the Pennsylvanian-based Augustinian Catholic University called Villanova University, where she majored in classical studies, graduating in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree.

Going further, she got admitted into the University of Southern California’s School of Law, where she earned a law degree, graduating in 1987.

How Did Diana Addonizio and Howie Long Meet

Diana Addonizio and her husband, Howie Long, first crossed paths during their days as students at Villanova University during the mid-1970s. Reports said Long was one year ahead of Diana. The circumstances surrounding their first meeting are unknown, but it is common knowledge that Long invited his love interest to his dorm room to join him in watching an NFL game.

Diana honored Long’s invitation, and the duo struck up a lasting friendship after watching the game. They later realized they love each other and started dating officially.

Sharing facts about her early days with the NFL star, Diana described Howie as an attractive boy, saying it was her first time meeting someone that big yet good-looking. Long was always like a volcano preparing to erupt. He usually thought he was being stared at wherever we went, Diana said.

Sharing his own experience with Diana, Howie said while they were watching that NFL game on the 12-inch monochrome television gifted to him by his grandmother, he goofed. After Randy White, who was then a linebacker for Dallas, knocked off the ball carrier’s helmet, he didn’t know when he started cheering and asked Diana, “Did you see that?” Howe said his girlfriend must have concluded he was nuts.

Howie was an Enigma to Diana During their Dating Days

It took Diana quite a while to understand her boyfriend’s personality, which came across as strange and moody. When they commenced dating, the former NFL star didn’t bother about giving Diana anything for Valentine, and it made her really angry.

Long later let his love interest in on why special occasions like Valentine’s never meant anything to him. He was the kind of guy that stayed back in the dorm when every other person goes home for summer or holiday, and obviously, he had an unpredictable childhood that put paid to his enjoying any special occasions with loved ones.

Talking about what Howie told her, Diane Addonizio said he was that kid that never had his own special bed. He was always on the move from one relative to another and had to make do with a couch or something. Howie lived out of a suitcase with all his early possessions on him.

In a book entitled A Farewell to Arms, Legs, and Jockstraps: A Sportswriter’s Memoir, the mother of three revealed how Long thought her a lot about street smarts while, in turn, she thought him about diplomacy.

Diana Addonizio and Howie Long Got Engaged in 1981

The duo’s love endured throughout college, and after graduation, Howie Long was drafted into the National Football League. After he inked his first contract worth $38,000, the NFL defensive end used part of the money to buy an engagement ring for Diana Addonizio.

At that point in their relationship, Diana was already madly in love with Howie, and needless to say, she gave him a positive answer. The couple wasted no time in planning their wedding for the middle of the next year.

When Did Diane Addonizio Become Howie Long’s Wife?

Barely a year after Diana and Howie became officially engaged, the couple went on o exchange the forever commitment on the 27th of June 1982.

Perhaps because Long was just starting his career in the National Football League, their wedding didn’t attract so much public attention. Sources described it as a private ceremony attended by family and few friends.

Nothing much is known about the ceremony, but according to reports, it was hosted in a romantic ceremonial setting. The couple’s union has exceeded four decades and counting, and in the world of celebrities, where shotgun marriages are the other of the day, it is quite commendable.

Who is Addonizio’s Husband, Howie Long?

Diana’s lifelong spouse, Howie Long, is listed as a former professional football star of the National Football League, a sports analyst, and an actor.

Born on the 6th of January 1960, Long’s given name at birth is Howard Matthew Moses Long. He played college football during his days as a student at Villanova University. However, he went professional in 1981 when the Oakland Raiders selected him during the second round of that year’s draft.

Diana Addonizio’s husband went on to play active football for the ensuing 13 years, announcing his retirement in 1993. Long’s last game as an NFL defensive end was witnessed in January 1994 during the Hawaiian Pro Bowl.

The defensive end earned pride of place as one of the best players to come out of the National Football League. The NFL Alumni Association declared him a two-time NFL Lineman of the Year, and in 1985, Howie emerged as Co-defensive Player of the Year. After he hung his booth, Howie was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Howie’s post-NFL career saw him appear on Fox NFL Sunday as a studio analyst. Later in 2018, he took on extra roles on Thursday Night Football as a pregame and halftime analyst.

At a point in his career life, the former NFL defensive end dabbled in acting, recording appearances in movies like Dollar of the Dead, Broken Arrow, Firestorm, and more. Also a shrewd businessman, Long owns and manages the firm Howie Long Classic.

Addonizio Shares Three Children with Her Husband

Diana Addonizio and her spouse Howie Long are parents to three children – all boys. The couple were already married for three years before they received their first child, a son called Christopher Long, who announced his entrance on March 28th, 1985.

Chris followed in his NFL superstar dad’s footsteps and went on to become a defensive end. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles, but before then, Howie Long’s first son had a brief stint with both the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Rams.

During his stint with the New England Patriots (2016-17 season), Chris won Super Bowl LI. He was with the Philadelphia Eagles the next year and won Super Bowl LII. Though he never attained his dad’s height of fame till retirement, Chris still managed to write his name in gold in the National Football League.

Diana Addonizio’s second child, Kyle Long, was born on the 5th of December 1988. Kyle is younger than Chris by three years. Also, a chip off the old block, Kyle plays football. Drafted in the 2013 NFL draft, the offensive lineman is currently making waves with the Chicago Bears. He is married to Megan O’Malley.

The baby of the Long brood is Howard Long Jr. He joined the family in 1990. Howie is the one who looks exactly like the former NFL defensive end. He is also in the National Football League, albeit not as a player. Howie Jr. is currently with the Oakland Raiders as an operative. His position with the Raiders is as a personal assistant and scouting assistant. He also works with Legends Las Vegas Stadium as a premium sales consultant.

Diana is a Grandmother

Diana Addonizio and Howie Long are grandparents. Their first son Chris is a father of two. He and his wife Megan gave birth to their first son, Waylon James Long, on the 2nd of March 2016. A couple of years later, Luke Redding Long, who is the couple’s second son, joined the family.

What is the Secret of Diana and Howie’s Long-lasting Relationship?

The fact that Diana and Howie’s union has lasted for over four decades and still going strongly made fans and the general public curious about what they did right and what others did wrong. Diana is his first wife and has managed to remain the only woman in his life to date.

The couple once revealed that their union stood the test of time, thanks to the unflinching support they have shown each other as the years roll by.

Diana has been her husband’s backbone throughout his career life and was instrumental to the stellar success he recorded in the NFL. Though she loves to stay away from the limelight, the lawyer and businesswoman join her spouse on red-carpet events, award shows, and the like.

On February 2nd, 2019, she was sighted beside her spouse on the red carpet of the Fox Theaters during the NFL Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Diana Addonizio does not just support her husband – the mother of three also extends her unflinching support to her children in their individual endeavors. She was at the Walter Payton Center during a panel discussion targeted at promoting football safety. The event was attended by over 300 women whose children are football players. Diana graced the occasion to show support for her boys.

What Does Howie Long’s Wife Do for a Living?

The American celebrity wife is listed as a non-practicing lawyer, author, and businesswoman. After she completed her law degree at the University of Southern California’s School of Law, Diana Addonizio started practicing law in a Pennthe workforce. However, reports revealed that her work in the legal field was short-lived, as becoming a wife and mother made the New Jersey native think of going in a different direction.

After she left her profession as an attorney, she waded into the cutthroat world of business. At this point in her life, the lawyer was already married, and reports said her husband invested some funds in setting her up in business.

However, the type of merchandise Diana sold, or the services she rendered are not known. At a certain point, she decided to call it quits with business and go indulge in the life of a homemaker. Diana spent a better part of her later years at home caring for her husband and sons.

She is a Published Author

Apart from her brief careers in law and business, Diana is also a published author with one book under her belt. She co-authored the publication, “He’s Just My Dad!” which hit the bookstand in 2000.

Diana’s book revolves around the lives of sportsmen and the roles they play at home as fathers. It featured over 200 pictures of different athletes and their children.

Diana maintains an alliance with NFL Head UP Football Advisory Committee. Because of her husband’s successful years in the National Football League, the mother of three was dubbed the First Lady of the NFL. She is a diehard philanthropist, always getting involved in charitable courses.

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