Megan Long (nee O’Malley) is the wife of the Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, Chris Long, the son of NFL Hall-of-Famer, Howie Long. He played for the St. Louis Rams and the New England Patriots before signing with Philly.
Chris Long was the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors last night in Atlanta, recognized as the league’s standout in charitable and humanitarian endeavors. Chris Long’s efforts include starting a foundation that works toward clean water, military appreciation, homelessness and youth programs.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. She Married Long in 2013 & They Have Two Sons
Megan and Chris Long are notoriously private people, rarely sharing any details about their relationship with the media. While Chris has public-facing social media accounts, Megan keeps her accounts private, only sharing photos and updates with family and friends — people that she knows.
The couple tied the knot on June 22, 2013, in Charlottesville, Virginia. According to The Knot, they registered at Macy’s.
A few years after they exchanged vows, Megan and Chris found out that they were expecting their first child together. Their son, Waylon James Long, was born in March 2016.
“So I’ve had a good week,” Chris Long captioned a photo of the couple’s newborn son, taking to Instagram to share the exciting news.
On November 26, 2018, the Long family grew by one, with Waylon James getting a little brother. The Longs welcomed son Luke Redding Long to become a family of four, and Chris Long shared their joy on Instagram.
Waylon’s birth came at an odd time for Long, who was still trying to find a team for the 2016 season. The Rams cut him after the 2015 season ended because of his lack of production.
NFL Trade Rumors reported that some of the teams interested in Long included the Falcons, Cowboys, Jaguars, Giants, and Raiders. Interestingly, the Patriots — where Long ended up signing — weren’t on the rumored list. Nonetheless, shortly after Chris and Megan welcomed Waylon, they prepared to move to Massachusetts.
2. She Grew Up Near Philly & Is a Huge Eagles Fan
When it came to Long inking a deal with the Eagles, his wife may have helped him make the decision. Not only did she grow up just outside of Philly in Moorestown, New Jersey, but she is also a life-long Eagles fan. It’s something that Chris referenced shortly after his decision to go to Philly was announced.
“At the end of the day, I had to follow my heart. I’ve always done that in football and in life. For the most part it’s served me well. Sometimes it gets me in trouble, but I think for me I just wanted to be in a situation where I was able to be proud of what I put on the field every Sunday and I think every team has a chance to compete for championships at the beginning of the season. It’s no forgone conclusion if you go anywhere that you’re going to do anything. When I figured out there might be an opportunity for me to come to a great situation like this with a team on the rise and a lot of excitement in the building and a chance to compete, to have a role like the one I was looking for, that was where I wanted to be,” Long said after leaving New England for Philly.
“For me, the number one thing when I went into free agency was to find a good football fit, and schematically I think it works really well for my skill set and what I’ve done in my career. I love this city. My folks went to school here. My wife’s from South Jersey. So, I know the area well. I’ll learn it a lot better. Football-wise and family-wise it’s really perfect for me,” Long added.
3. She Played Lacrosse in College & Her Father, Joe O’Malley, Played Baseball in the 70s
During high school, Megan had a stellar career, earning a spot as a U.S. Lacrosse All-American in 2003 and 2004. She went on to attend the University of Virginia and played on the women’s lacrosse team. In 2006, she was named to the US National Developmental Team.
Megan’s father, Joseph L. O’Malley, had a brief career in baseball. According to Baseball-Reference, O’Malley played in the Atlanta Braves farm system in 1977. He played second and third base for the Kingsport Braves and Greenwood Braves.
Megan also has a sister, Katie, who played basketball at Johns Hopkins University.
According to PressBoxOnline, Joe and Robin O’Malley also have a son, Joe Jr., who plays baseball. They live in Morristown, New Jersey.
4. The Extended O’Malley Family Tree Is All About Sports in the Baltimore Area
A 2006 PressBoxOnline article notes that Megan is part of a big Baltimore athletic family tree.
Her uncle, Tim O’Malley, played first base at the Community College of Baltimore and UMBC in the late 1970s.
Another uncle, Pat O’Malley, was a sports writer for the Baltimore News American and the Baltimore Sun, and also coached amateur baseball.
5. Her Personal Favorite Sports Moment Is Signing Her UVA Letter of Intent
(Instagram/Chris Long)
In a 2007 UVA profile, Megan said that her personal favorite sports moment was signing her national letter of intent to attend UVA. However, at that time, her favorite overall sports moment was “Michael Jordan’s last shot before retiring in his last NBA championship.”
“I wanted to be the best I could be in lacrosse and to do that, I needed to be with the best,” she said when asked why she picked UVA. She said she started playing lacrosse during her sophomore year of high school.
“My freshman year, I used to walk by the lacrosse practice fields after softball practice and wanted to give it a try. By the end of my sophomore year, I was part of a state championship lacrosse program,” she told UVA.
