NFL Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst, Howard M. Long and his wife Diane, have donated $1 million to Villanova University. The Long’s commitment will go toward the University’s $600 million Comprehensive Capital Campaign, “For the Greater Great: The Villanova Campaign to Ignite Change. The gift will create a new eight room as part of a building project, and will be named The Howie Long Strength Training Center. The Strength Training Center will be open for Villanova’s top-ranked FCS Football program and the rest of the 24 varsity sports at the university.
This new facility will help to supply students with a state-of-the-art athletic training center within one centralized location. In addition to the “The Howie Long Strength Training Center,” the building will also include a new football locker room and coaches’ offices. The Villanova Football program will also name its annual defensive player of the year award “The Howie Long Defensive Player of the Year Award,” in recognition of the Long’s commitment to the school.
HowardLong has been a Fox Sports analyst on the NFL on Fox Show since 1994 after he retired from professional football. Long played in the NFL for 13 years, from 1981 to 1993, as a defensive lineman for the Oakland Raiders. He helped lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory and in 1983, and was inducted into the National Football League Hall of Fame in 2000.
Before his career in the NFL, Long was a member of the Villanova football program from 1977 to 1980. He was named MVP of the Blue-Grey All-Star Classic as a senior. Long’s no. 55 jersey was retired by the University in 1995.