FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long grew up in Charlestown, Massachusetts, later moved to the suburbs to play football at Milford High School, and attended his first NFL game in 1976 when the New England Patriots throttled the Oakland Raiders, 48-17.
Now he has added incentive for a few extra trips home.
When his son Chris signed a one-year contract with the Patriots on March 18, it was a homecoming story of sorts for the Long family.
"It's taken a lot longer than maybe I would have thought, but a Long in a Patriots uniform would look pretty good," he said last week.