Diane Addonizio is the wife of Howie Long, a former football defensive end who spent his entire career, playing with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Diane and Howie have been married for over four decades now and are also blessed with three grown children. Two of their kids, Chris and Kyle, are also former NFL players.
Besides being a devoted wife and mother, what does Diane do now? Many sources indicate that Howie’s better half is a practicing lawyer. The couple first met during their college years.
Let’s delve into some other hidden details about Diane and her enduring marriage with Howie.
What Does Howie Long’s Wife Diane Addonizio Do For a Living?
Diane currently appears to be a stay-at-home wife. But, in the past, Howie’s partner used to work as a corporate lawyer in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Law with a law degree in 1987.
In addition to that, Mrs. Long is an occasional author who has published at least one book called, “He’s Just My Dad!: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children,” in 2000. In her publication, the celebrity spouse interviewed several male athletes and their families, providing humorous and surprising insights into how sports stars parent their kids.
Furthermore, the book is full of photos of athletes and their kids. Diane’s deep passion for photography, her fondness for sports, and her appreciation of fatherhood motivated her to explore the father-child relationships of renowned athletes in her book.
Diane Addonizio and Her Husband Howie Long Met at College
Addonizio met her future life partner Howie, while they were students at Villanova University. At the time, Diane was in her freshman and Long was a sophomore. She once mentioned him as being moody and hard to know—”but attractive, boy was He attractive. I’d never met anyone that big who was that good-looking.”
Their first official date occurred when Howie asked her to come to his room to watch a Dallas game on TV. Long recalled the moment,
A little 12-inch, black-and-white TV that my grandmother gave me. A TV with lines on it and a coat hanger for an antenna. We watched a Dallas game. That’s when they were still experimenting with Randy White at linebacker.
After the couple began dating, Howie’s spouse described him as someone who was always on edge, like a “volcano about to erupt, always driven. Everywhere we went, He thought people were staring at him.”
Howie Long’s Wife, Diane, Didn’t Get Valentine’s Gifts
At the beginning of their relationship, Mr. Long didn’t surprise his wife with Valentine’s Day gifts, which made her sad. Nevertheless, Howie later explained that holidays and special days didn’t hold such memories for him. He clarified “how holidays never meant anything special to him. At Villanova when everyone went home for the holidays or the summer He was always the guy who stayed in the dorms.”
He added,
You know how a child’s bed is special to him? Well, he never had his own. It was always a couch or something, while he was bouncing around from relative to relative. He was always living out of a suitcase, he always had his possessions on him. It took me awhile to understand that.
Their Engagement and Wedding
The Long couple was in a relationship for years before Howie popped the question to his then-girlfriend just after graduation. He purchased an engagement ring for his fiancee, Diane, after signing a contract with the Oakland Raiders worth $38,000 in 1981.
As for their wedding, the duo exchanged their vows on 27th June 1982. Their wedding was a private affair. Ever since the duo has been married happily.
However, neither Howie nor his partner, Diane, are officially active on any social media platforms, making it difficult to learn about their current marriage goals.
But, Addonizio occasionally appears on her kids’ social media handles. Back in May 2022, her son, Chris, posted a couple of photos of his momma on his Insta and wrote the caption,
I love my momma so much & so do Waylon & Luke.
View this post on Instagram
Addonizio Is The Mother of Three Kids With Her Husband
Diane and her hubby, Howie, are proud parents of three children. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, Christopher Howard, on March 28th, 1985, in Santa Monica. On December 5th, 1988, their second son, Kyle Howard, was born. And their youngest son, Matthew Howard, was born in December 1989.
All of their kids are quite successful in their own right, with two of them following in their father’s footsteps in the NFL world. Let’s discuss each of them individually in the following headings!
Chris Long Mostly Played For The St. Louis Rams
Howie’s first-born child, Chris, is a former defensive end who played eight seasons with the St. Louis Rams from 2008 to 2015. He later also played with two more teams including New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles.
Before making his NFL debut, Cris played college football at Virginia. He currently resides in Charlottesville, VA, with his wife, Megan O’Malley, and their kids.
Kyle Long Played For Chicago Bears
Diane and Howie’s second child, Kyle, played for seven seasons with the Chicago Bears. He played college football at the University of Oregon, followed by Florida State University and Saddleback College.
Following his retirement from the NFL, Kyle worked as a studio analyst for CBS Sports Network’s That Other Pregame Show.
Howard Long Jr. Played Lacrosse at College
The youngest child of Diane and Howie, Howard Long Jr. played lacrosse at the University of Virginia. Before that, Long Jr. used to play football at school.
Details On Addonizio’ Parents and Date of Birth
She was born on March 16, 1962, in Monmouth County, Town of Red Bank, New Jersey to Frank Addonizio and Maria Cecere. Her father, Frank, was a war veteran and a former security director of an Indian Institute of Technology subsidiary. Sources say, Frank reportedly received a diagnosis of lymphoma in his early 80s.
Diane was raised in a Catholic family along with her brother, James Addonizio, who is also a practicing lawyer.
Her School and College
Diane went to Red Bank High School. She later attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania and won the Monmouth County Beauty pageant on May 12th, 1978. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in classical from college in 1985.
FAQs About Diane Addonizio
- Diane currently lives in Albemarle County, Virginia with her family members.
- She relocated there after living in Los Angeles for 12 years. At the time, Diane also experienced a 6.7 Richter scale earthquake.
- Addonizio advocated numerous times for her sons’ safety in various events.
- She is 5ft 10in tall, whereas her husband, Howie is 6ft 6in.
- Diane has a net worth of $1 million.
- She is an American by nationality and holds Caucasian ethnicity.
- Howie’s wife is now 62 years old.
