Howie Long Wins Pat Summerall Award, Reflects on Biggest Career Regret: “I Should’ve Answered Al Davis’ Call”
By Gridiron Legacy News | April 7, 2025
LAS VEGAS — NFL Hall of Famer and longtime FOX Sports analyst Howie Long was honored this week with the prestigious Pat Summerall Award, recognizing his extraordinary contributions both as a dominant player for the Raiders and as a broadcaster for nearly three decades. But in a moment of surprising vulnerability during his acceptance speech, Long opened up about the one decision he still regrets — turning down Raiders owner Al Davis when he asked him to come out of retirement.
“It’s the one call I wish I hadn’t ignored,” Long admitted to the packed crowd. “Al wanted me back in silver and black… and I told him no. That’s the one thing I would do differently.”
A Career of Power and Presence
Howie Long’s legacy is carved in NFL history. With 8 Pro Bowl selections, a Super Bowl XVIII title, and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his 13-year run with the Raiders made him one of the most feared defensive linemen of his era.
Following his retirement in 1993, Long quickly made his mark in broadcasting, becoming one of the founding faces of FOX NFL Sunday. For 29 years, he brought insight, humor, and honesty to fans every Sunday—earning the respect of his peers and audiences alike.
The Pat Summerall Award, named for the legendary broadcaster, is given to those who excel not just on the field, but in how they carry the game forward. Long is only the latest in a line of respected voices to receive it.
“It’s an honor,” Long said, “because Pat was someone I truly looked up to. He was a calm voice in a chaotic sport.”
The Call That Still Echoes
While the night celebrated Long’s achievements, it was his candid story about Al Davis that left fans and former players buzzing.
“A few years after I stepped away from the game, Al Davis called me. He said, ‘Howie, I think you’ve still got it. I want you back.’ I laughed. I thought he was joking,” Long said. “But Al never joked about football. He believed in me more than I did at that moment.”
Long admitted he was too quick to embrace retirement and broadcasting, and that he sometimes wonders what might’ve happened if he’d returned for just one more year in silver and black.
“If I had listened… maybe I would’ve had one more playoff run. One more sack. One more Sunday.”
Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
Despite that lingering “what if,” Howie Long stood tall among his peers as he accepted the award, honoring not only Summerall, but the Raiders legacy that shaped his life.
“This award isn’t just for what I’ve done on TV,” Long said. “It’s for what the Raiders taught me, and what Al Davis saw in me.”
With that, the audience rose in applause — for a man who may have left the field too early, but never stopped honoring the game.
