View source for Kevin Long (running back)

{{Short description|American football player (1955–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{sources|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Kevin Long
| number      = 33
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1955|1|20}}
| birth_place = [[Clinton, South Carolina]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|2024|9|10|1955|1|20}}
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lbs  = 212
| high_school = [[Clinton High School (South Carolina)|Clinton]]
| college     = [[South Carolina Gamecocks football|South Carolina]]
| draftyear   = 1977
| draftround  = 7
| draftpick   = 195
| pastteams   =
* [[New York Jets]] ({{NFL Year|1977}}–{{NFL Year|1981}})
* [[Chicago Blitz]] ({{USFL Year|1983}})
* [[Arizona Wranglers]] ({{USFL Year|1984}})
* [[Arizona Outlaws]] ({{USFL Year|1985}})
| statlabel3  = [[Carry (gridiron football)|Rushing attempts]]
| statvalue3  = 574
| statlabel4  = [[Rush (gridiron football)|Rushing yards]]
| statvalue4  = 2,190
| statlabel5  = [[Touchdown|Rushing TDs]]
| statvalue5  = 25
| pfr         = L/LongKe00
}}

'''Kevin Fernando Long''' (January 20, 1955 – September 10, 2024) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) and [[United States Football League]] (USFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[South Carolina Gamecocks football|South Carolina Gamecocks]].

==College==
Long attended the [[University of South Carolina]] and was a standout [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] for the [[South Carolina Gamecocks football|Gamecocks]]. He [[Rush (American football)|rushed]] for 2,372 yards, ranked eighth overall on Carolina's all-time list as of 2006. His average per rush was 5.3 yards and he was the first Gamecock player to compile 1,000 yards in a season (1975). In 2002, Long was inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2003, into the State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.

==NFL/USFL==
Long was selected in the 7th round (195th overall) by the [[New York Jets]] in the [[1977 NFL draft]] and played five solid seasons for the Jets, until 1981. However, he is probably best remembered as a former USFL player. He played three seasons in the newly formed league, first for the [[Chicago Blitz]] in 1983, and then for the [[Arizona Wranglers]] in 1984. Due to the full-team trade that occurred during the first off-season between Chicago and Arizona, the 1984 Arizona team was basically the same team that had played in Chicago in 1983. After the 1984 season, Arizona then merged with the [[Oklahoma Outlaws]] franchise, and he played for the new [[Arizona Outlaws]] team in 1985.

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! [[1977 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| 14 || 4 || 56 || 170 || 3.0 || 12 || 0 || 5 || 17 || 3.4 || 7 || 0
|-
! [[1978 NFL season|1978]] !! [[1978 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''214''' || '''954''' || '''4.5''' || '''27''' || '''10''' || '''26''' || '''204''' || 7.8 || 17 || 0
|-
! [[1979 NFL season|1979]] !! [[1979 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| 12 || 6 || 116 || 442 || 3.8 || 25 || 7 || 10 || 115 || '''11.5''' || '''27''' || 0
|-
! [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| 15 || 7 || 115 || 355 || 3.1 || 18 || 6 || 20 || 137 || 6.9 || 16 || 0
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| '''16''' || 0 || 73 || 269 || 3.7 || 19 || 2 || 13 || 66 || 5.1 || 18 || '''3'''
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 73 !! 33 !! 574 !! 2,190 !! 3.8 !! 27 !! 25 !! 74 !! 539 !! 7.3 !! 27 !! 3
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| '''1''' || 0 || '''8''' || '''28''' || '''3.5''' || '''8''' || '''1''' || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 1 !! 0 !! 8 !! 28 !! 3.5 !! 8 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0
|}

==Personal life and death==
Long worked in sales for a vending machine company. He was married and had three daughters. His eldest daughter won a [[track and field]] scholarship to the [[University of Georgia]]. His second daughter plays [[volleyball]] at the [[College of Charleston]]. Long died on September 10, 2024, at the age of 69.<ref>[https://wach.com/sports/usc-gamecocks/gamecocks-mourn-the-passing-of-hall-of-fame-running-back-kevin-long Gamecocks mourn the Passing of Hall of Fame running back Kevin Long]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
# [http://www.nfl.com/player/kevinlong/2519678/profile NFL Profile]
# [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/LongKe00.htm PFR Profile]
# [http://www.dailygamecock.com/media/storage/paper247/news/2005/09/16/FridayFootballBlitz/Gamecock.Greats.Kevin.Long.Became.Carolinas.First.1000Yard.Rusher.In.1975-987878.shtml?norewrite200612141412&sourcedomain=www.dailygamecock.com Daily Gamecock article]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
# [http://www.oursportscentral.com/usfl/leaders.php 1983 USFL Statistics]
# [http://www.oursportscentral.com/usfl/playg-n.htm Small profile on Kevin Long]

{{Jets1977DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Kevin}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Clinton, South Carolina]]
[[Category:Players of American football from South Carolina]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:South Carolina Gamecocks football players]]
[[Category:New York Jets players]]
[[Category:Chicago Blitz players]]
[[Category:Arizona Wranglers players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]


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