Kevin Long (running back)

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Kevin Fernando Long (January 20, 1955 – September 10, 2024) was an American professional 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.

Long attended the University of South Carolina and was a standout fullback for the Gamecocks. He 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.

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.

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.^[1]

1. NFL Profile
2. PFR Profile
3. Daily Gamecock article^{[permanent dead link‍]}
4. 1983 USFL Statistics
5. Small profile on Kevin Long

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