How Old Is Howie Long The Football Player

Let’s talk about Howie Long. You know him: the guy with the brick-wall jaw, the Hall of Fame jacket, and a voice that sounds like gravel being chewed. He’s been a football legend for so long, you’d swear he was born with a beard and a grass-stained jersey.

But here’s the real question: how old is he? I’ll tell you a secret—nobody actually knows. Oh, the internet will give you a number: Howie Long was born on January 6, 1960. That makes him... wait for it... older than sliced bread? No, just older than your dad’s favorite mixtape.

Sixty-four years old. Sixty-four. Which means if he were a car, he’d be a vintage muscle car—still roaring, but with a few squeaks. But look at him. He’s on TV every Sunday, breaking down plays, looking like he could still sack a quarterback in three seconds flat.

I have an unpopular opinion here:

Howie Long isn’t 64. He’s ageless, like a Tom Brady of defensive linemen—only with more hair and fewer Super Bowl rings to brag about.

The Math Doesn’t Math

Let’s do the math, but loosely. He played college ball at Villanova, and then the Los Angeles Raiders drafted him in 1981. That’s over 40 years ago. Forty! Back then, people wore parachute pants and thought mullets were cool. Howie Long looked like a grown man then—he looks like a grown man now. Suspicious.

Howie Long Villanova

If he’s 64, that means he was 21 in 1981. Fine. But then explain why he looks exactly the same in every photo from 1985 to 2024. I’ve seen glaciers move faster than his wrinkles. I think he’s secretly a vampire, but one that only feeds on opposing quarterbacks.

Also, his son Kyle Long played in the NFL. That makes Howie a football dad. But Kyle retired because of injuries. Howie? Still going. Still on TV. Still looking like he could bench-press a Smart car. That’s not human—that’s a warranty that never expires.

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The Reality Trick

Here’s the truth: age is just a number, and Howie Long’s number is written in disappearing ink. We celebrate old players like Peyton Manning or Brett Favre—but they obviously aged. They got gray, they got soft. Howie? He got more rugged. It’s unfair. It’s like the universe decided one defensive end deserved eternal youth and gave it to him out of sheer respect.

I checked official records. The Pro Football Hall of Fame says he was born in 1960. The NFL Network bio agrees. But I’m telling you—look at those eyes. Those aren’t the eyes of a man who remembers VHS tapes. Those are eyes that have seen the birth of football itself. He’s probably old enough to have played with leather helmets. He just hides it well.

Howie Long Football Player

So how old is Howie Long, the football player? Officially? 64. In my humble, unpopular opinion? He’s about 40, with a fake driver’s license. He’s the Benjamin Button of the NFL—only he got Benjamin Button’s script mixed up and just stayed cool forever.

Next time you see him on your screen, squint. Watch him wink after a highlight reel. That wink says, “I’ve been doing this since floppy disks were cutting-edge. And I’ll still be doing it when you’re bald.”

So let’s just agree: Howie Long is as old as a good story—timeless, a little dusty, and always worth the listen. Pass the chips. And please, stop trying to do the math. It ruins the magic.