Raiders' Long Stands Tall, on the Field and the Screen

The Las Vegas Raiders have a long lineage of great players who shined on and off the field, none greater than living legend Howie Long.

Even though the Las Vegas Raiders didn’t make the playoffs, fans of Raider Nation can watch a great member of the Silver and Black on television throughout the post-season.

Howie Long, perhaps the best defensive lineman in Raiders franchise history, is a member of FOX Sports’ in-studio team for National Football League games and is one of the best TV analysts in the business.

“Howie can look at something and nail it the first time,” said Terry Bradshaw, Long’s studio partner, who said Long is so well prepared that he often shares research with Bradshaw, who is more natural saying things off the top of his head. “That is beyond impressive to me. His insight into how the game is played–no one can match it.

“For him to share information with me, that is like the ultimate act of kindness, ‘Let me lift you up.’ I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing he is as a broadcaster.”

The 63-year-old Long, who looks like he could still play in the NFL, has been in the broadcasting business for 29 seasons, all with FOX, after retiring from the Raiders in 1993 and was proficient in his new job from the start.

Of course, he’s a perfectionist.

“I’m not sure I could have been content with being average,” said Long, who added that it’s important to have fun in addition to being good at what he is doing. “You want to make sure that you’re contributing to the standard that is pretty high for our show. You want to make sure you’re living up to that.

"We’re all growing old together, while living in perpetual adolescence. I started laughing 29 years ago and I haven’t stopped.”

Added Bradshaw, a Hall of Fame quarterback who played against Long briefly with the Pittsburgh Steelers: “He has a respect for the NFL I guess a lot of us should have. I look at football and television as entertainment. He looks at it from an intelligent point of view and I admire that a lot. I respect that.”

The 6-5, 265-pound Long, who was selected by the Raiders in the second round (No. 148 overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft out of Villanova and proved to be an absolute steal, played 13 seasons and was a five-time All-Pro, was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, was NFL Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and was selected to the NFL All-Decades Team for the 1980s.

Long started as a rookie and made 7½ sacks, but that’s unofficial because sacks were not an official NFL statistic until the following season. For his career, he had 91½ sacks, including a career-high 13 in 1983, and five in one game that season against the Washington Redskins.

In addition, he recovered 10 fumbles during his career, intercepted two passes, and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

“Howie Long was the best defensive end I’ve ever seen,” All-Pro tackle Marvin Powell of the New York Jets said, and Powell was not alone in that assessment.

When the Raiders routed the defending champion Washington Redskins, 38-9, in Super Bowl XVIII to cap the 1983 season, Long manhandled tackle George Starke as the Silver and Black limited John Riggins to 90 yards in 32 carries and quarterback Joe Theismann to 16-for-35 in the air with two interceptions.

After 13 seasons with the Raiders, Long surprisingly decided he had enough and announced his retirement even though he seemed to have plenty left it the tank.

“It’s time to get on with life,” Long said when he announced he was moving on from the Raiders. “It’s time to grow up. I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve been very lucky. God has blessed me. I’ve made more money than I ever dreamed of making.

“Having won a world championship, having done just about everything there is to do in sports from a defensive lineman’s standpoint, having had a great time and finishing up at this point in my career in the Pro Bowl at 34, that is, in my mind, the way I think you should leave sports.

“I’ve seen too many players who I have a great deal of respect and admiration for, (people) I looked up to growing up and watched on film, and then I watched them deteriorate physically, but try to hang on too long.”

Not only did Long play at a high level, but he’s shown he can talk a good game for 29 years.

The NFL Scouting Combine is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST, is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. During the time starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EST on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m. EST on March 15.

The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EST on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.

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