If a freshly retired NFL player were to transition into a media career, no one would be surprised. Current players today host their own podcasts or serve as contributors to network broadcasts.
But once upon a time – which, in this case, is 1994 – hardly any ex-NFL players made the immediate jump from wearing shoulder pads to holding a microphone.
Howie Long opened the pipeline by joining the nascent FOX studio show just as the network acquired NFL rights. Twenty-nine years later, Long’s second professional act has endeared him to another demographic of a fan who doesn’t remember his hulking physique terrorizing backfields for 13 seasons with the Raiders from 1981-1993.
The decision to retire at 34 surprised people, the Hall of Famer said. But he knew it then and his life has proved him correct: It was time to move on.
“I’m not sure I could have been content with being average,” Long told USA TODAY Sports by phone last month.
Long feels the same way about his broadcasting career.
“You want to make sure that you’re contributing to the standard that is pretty high for our show,” Long said. “You want to make sure you’re living up to that.”
Beyond the fact Long has three years remaining on his deal with FOX, the good news for fans who enjoy watching Long is that he won’t be off-screen anytime in the near future.
“I started laughing 29 years ago,” Long said of his time at FOX, “and I haven’t stopped.”
‘We’re all growing old together’
The main comedic…
