“You Carry My Spirit Inside You”: Howie Long Reflects on Meeting John Madden, the Legendary Coach He Wished He Played For
Though their eras never crossed on the field, Howie Long and John Madden shared a bond that transcended time, pads, and playbooks. And according to Long himself, the first time he met the legendary coach and broadcaster was nothing short of unforgettable.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Howie said in a recent interview. “I was still a young Raider, and here comes John Madden, this larger-than-life figure. Before I could even say a word, he looked me right in the eye and said, ‘You carry my spirit inside you. I like the way you play, young lad.’ I never forgot that moment.”
Though Long joined the Raiders in 1981, three years after Madden stepped down from coaching, the Hall of Fame defensive end embodied everything Madden stood for: toughness, grit, intelligence, and loyalty to the Silver and Black. It’s no wonder Madden saw a piece of himself—and of the teams he molded—in Howie’s relentless playing style.
“He was like a father to me, even though I never played a down for him,” Long admitted. “Just hearing those words from someone who built the foundation of what it meant to be a Raider—that meant everything. I wish I had played for John. I really do.”
Madden, who coached the Raiders from 1969 to 1978, was the architect of a swashbuckling, bruising brand of football that made the Raiders a feared name in the NFL. He was the first to call his team a family, not just a roster. Even long after retirement, his presence loomed over the franchise like a protective giant.
“I think John saw something in me that reminded him of that old-school Raider spirit,” Long said. “And I felt it too. There was something about putting on that uniform, about representing that legacy.”
Their bond would only deepen over the years through NFL broadcasts, sideline chats, and Hall of Fame weekends. While Madden became a legend in the booth and Long evolved into a respected football analyst himself, the mutual respect between them remained a quiet cornerstone of their relationship.
“I always thought, man, if I had just been a few years older,” Long said, shaking his head with a wistful smile. “To play for that man—what a privilege that would’ve been.”
In the hearts of many Raider fans, the torch from Madden to Long was passed not through handshakes, but through helmets. Through tackles. Through sweat. John Madden may have never called a play with Howie Long on the field, but in spirit, they were always on the same team.
And as Long tells it, that’s what mattered most.Let me know if you want a striking headline or a graphic to go with it!
