“He’s the Brother I Never Had”: Howie Long Reflects on His Friendship With Terry Bradshaw Despite Raiders vs. Steelers Rivalry

For the last three decades, Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw have entertained us on our TV sets with their weekly appearances on Fox. Despite being part of one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL as players, Terry and Long’s friendship post-retirement has been inspirational. And it’s all the more heartening to see Long call Terry the ‘brother he never had’ in his latest media appearance.

What amuses the former Raiders defensive end the most about his friendship with Terry is how polar opposites they are from each other. Their differences, obviously, stem from being on the opposite side of the Steelers-Raiders rivalry.

Moreover, while Long played defense, Bradshaw was a QB. While Howie was a Boston native, Terry was a Louisiana thoroughbred. Despite the differences in upbringing and personality, their bond over the years has transcended to a stage of brotherhood, a feeling deeply cherished by Long.

“Terry and I had to figure that out early on [because] we couldn’t be any more less alike. I mean, Boston Catholic [Howie] to Louisiana Baptist [Terry]… You know quarterback to defensive lineman, Steelers to Raiders…we’re just so different, but he’s the brother I never had. We’re as close as one could be,” said Howie to Julian Edelman on the latest episode of Games with Names.

What still could be baffling is how two players who were part of the fierce Steelers-Raiders rivalry ended up being the best of friends. For instance, one can never imagine seeing Maxx Crosby and Patrick Mahomes a decade later going on podcasts and raving about their bromance. But the reality in Howie and Terry’s context is different.

The Two Hall of Famers have incidentally faced off against each other only once while playing for the historically bitter rivals. Even in that matchup, the duo couldn’t have a proper duel as Bradshaw had to be subbed off early in the game due to an injury. So technically, their former allegiances didn’t really contribute to the initial trouble in their relationship.

What did affect their dynamic in the early days of their FOX career was their radically different conduct. While Long had just retired from the NFL and was new to TV, Terry was the more experienced one with a CBS stint in his kitty.

So, initially, the two had their differences. However, with time, as the Steelers legend confided to Edelman, the duo worked out their differences to have the close bond they share today.

“I’d been in television for a long time before Howie came on board,” Bradshaw said. “It was not smooth sailing… we had differences on how to do things… Howie and I literally worked ours [relationship] out and became like brothers, and it happened quickly.”

It’s always heartening to hear such friendship stories of our beloved NFL legends. Howie and Terry have been one of the most entertaining duos on TV with their witty banter and chaotic energy on FOX. Even if Long hadn’t talked about the deep relationship they share, we, as the audience, could have figured it out ourselves, and this is a testament to their palpable bond.