Former Notre Dame defensive back Tom Longo passes away
IRISH STEW
Tom Longo, a Notre Dame defensive back from 1963 to 1965, passed away on Thursday at the age of 73.
After shifting from quarterback and running back to cornerback later in his Notre Dame career, Longo helped lead the Irish to a 9-1 record in 1964 and a 7-2-1 record in 1965. He was selected in the 14th round, 188th overall, in the 1965 NFL Draft, and went on to play three years in the NFL with the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
In 1970, as a safety for the Giants, Longo started all 14 games, intercepting two passes and recovering three fumbles.
Longo fought mesothelioma for 21 months before passing away on Thursday. According to his son, Tomas, Longo will be interred at Notre Dame's Cedar Grove Cemetery on Friday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m., where Father Edward Malloy will preside over the committal service. It is the same weekend as Notre Dame's home game against USC, the annual meeting of Longo's favorite rivalry, his son wrote in an email to the South Bend Tribune.
Donations in Longo's memory can be made to the V Foundation for Cancer Research at 106 Towerview Court, Cary, NC, 27513.
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