Las Vegas Raiders: 50 greatest players in franchise history
By John Buhler
Villanova Wildcats. Howie Long. 7. player. 28. . DE
The best pass rusher in Raiders history is Howie Long. The former Villanova Wildcat could absolutely get after the quarterback during his 13-year Pro Football Hall of Fame spent entirely with the Raiders. Oakland drafted Long in the second round in the 1982 NFL Draft. However, the bulk of Long’s Raiders career would be spent in Los Angeles.
Long’s breakout season came in 1983 when he made his first trip to the Pro Bowl. He would record 13.0 quarterback sacks in that Super Bowl season for the Silver and Black. Long entered his prime that season. He made back-to-back first-team All-Pro teams in 1984 and 1985. Long made eight Pro Bowls in his career. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985.
Long would retire from football after the 1993 NFL season. He finished with 84.0 career quarterback sacks. Keep in mind that sacks were not an official stat until his second year in the league. Long would begin a career as an action star in movies like Firestorm. He did ads for RadioShack with Teri Hatcher before becoming a weekend staple on FOX covering the NFL.
Long earned Canton enshrinement in 2000. His Pro Football Hall of Fame classmates include Joe Montana, Dan Rooney, and Dave Wilcox. Two of Long’s sons star in the NFL today. Chris Long is a two-time Super Bowl champion and is a strong part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ pass rush. Kyle Long stars on the offensive line for the Chicago Bears.