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Who is Desmond Howard?
Desmond Howard is a former football player in the National Football League in the United States. Desmond Howard currently works for ESPN as a college football analyst. He was most recognized as a kick returner during his playing career.
He won the Heisman Trophy while playing college football for the Michigan Wolverines.
In addition, he was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXI and is regarded as the NFL’s sixth-best kick returner.
Early Life, Family, and Education
Desmond Howard was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 15, 1970, to JD Howard (father) and Hattie Howard (mother).
JD, his father, was a semi-professional basketball player who toured with the Jolly Jokers.
Later, he worked in a nearby firm as a tool and die plant.
Similarly, Desmond’s mother, Hattie, used to work as a school administrator.
Aside from that, the couple had two sons. Jermaine, Desmond’s brother, was another.
Desmond attended Cleveland’s, St. Joseph High School.
He was a member of the basketball and football teams at his high school.
Desmond’s senior season at the school was spent primarily as a tailback.
He was named to the All-American and All-Ohio football teams for his outstanding performance on the field.
Desmond has 18 touchdowns, 5,392 rushing yards, and ten defensive interceptions throughout his high school career.
He also received varsity letters in all of the sports he participated in, including track, football, and basketball.
Age, Height, and Body Measurements
Desmond Howard is 51 years old as of 2022. He stands at the height of 5 feet and 10 inches (177 cm).
Similarly, he weighs around 85 kilograms (187 lbs). Howard was born in Cleveland, United States.
He schooled and spent all of his career in the US. Consequently, he holds an American passport.
Facts of Desmond Howard
| Full Name | Desmond Kevin Howard |
| Birth Date | May 15, 1970 |
| Birth Place | Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Nick Name | Desmond Howard |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Education | St. Joseph High School University of Michigan |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Father’s Name | JD Howard |
| Mother’s Name | Hattie Howard |
| Siblings | One brother |
| Brother | Jermaine Howard |
| Age | 51 Years Old |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (177 cm) |
| Weight | 85 kg (187 lbs) |
| Shoe Size | Not available |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
| Relationship | Married |
| Girlfriends | No |
| Spouse | Rebekah Howard (m. 1959) |
| Children | Two Sons and One Daughter |
| Sons | Desmond Howard Jr. Dhamir Howard |
| Daughter | Sydney Howard |
| Profession | Football Analyst NFL player (former) |
| Jersey Number | #21( Michigan Wolverines), #81 (Jacksonville Jaguars), #81 (Green Bay Packers), #80 (Detroit Lions) |
| Teams | Washington Football Team Jacksonville Jaguars Green Bay Packers Detroit Lions |
| Net Worth | $14 million |
| Salary | $3 million |
| Broadcasting Affiliations | ESPN Fox Sports |
| Social Media | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook |
| Merch | Jersey, Football Cards, Autographs |
| Last Update | April 2022 |
Net Worth and Salary
Desmond Howard’s net worth is estimated to be $14 million.
Some sources report that Howard has earned a total of $190 million in his football career.
Well, the figure cannot be suspected regarding his success during those days. Desmond earns $3 million as a salary.
Collage Career
Desmond went to the University of Michigan for his education. He was a standout player for the Michigan Wolverines, setting twelve-team records.
He won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award during the 1991 season.
Desmond was named to the first-team All-America team. In 2011, Michigan Football Legend was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for the first time.
Desmond’s college career got off to a slow start. His confidence was greatly boosted thanks to the Michigan counselor.
In 1991, Howard led the Big Ten Conference in scoring 138 points. Fans voted him The Mount Rushmore of Michigan Football on the Big Ten Network in 2014 for his greatness.
The Heisman Trophy is the most prestigious award in college football.
In the 1991 season, Desmond put up excellent numbers. As a result, he became a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, which he did the following year.
In the year, he became famous for his “The Heisman pose,” a celebration of copying the football player on the Heisman trophy. After scoring in a game against Ohio State, he did the dance.
Career in NFL
In the 1992 NFL Draft, Howard was selected by the then-Super Bowl XXVII champion Washington Redskins. He excelled as a kickoff returner rather than a wide receiver.
In his first four seasons with the Redskins, he had 92 receptions, earning him the nickname “the return specialist.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the 1995 NFL expansion draft. Howard was a member of the team for one season. He had 26 receptions, one touchdown, and 10 kick returns throughout that time.
Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl
Desmond later joined the Green Bay Packers in 1996. With them, he had an NFL record of 875 punt return yards, a 15.1 punt return average, and 460 kickoff return yards on 58 punt returns.
The Packers defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXXI in 1996. They defeated the New England Patriots 35-21 in the game.
In the Super Bowl, Howards returned a kickoff of 99 yards for a touchdown for the Packers.
He was named the Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl. He is the only special teams player to win the award in NFL history.
In 1998, he was signed as a free agent by the Oakland Raiders. Before rejoining the Packers in 1999, he had 61 kickoff returns there.
However, he was plagued by ailments and underwhelming performances. As a result, in the middle of the 1999 season, the Packers were released.
The Lions of Detroit
He was later signed by the Lions. He scored a special teams touchdown in his first game for them. Desmond also participated in the 2001 Pro Bowl as a kick returner.
His only appearance in the competition was that one. Howard announced his retirement from football after the 2002 season.
Career in Broadcasting
Desmond hasn’t played football in almost a quarter-century. Howard took a break from football after retiring from the league.
He then moved on to ESPN, where he is currently employed. He’s been going to the match sites with Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit since 2005. There, they cover ESPN College Gameday, a pre-game show.
Howard is mostly seen as a studio figure in the game.
When you watch Detroit Lions pre-season games on the Detroit Lions Television Network, you can hear his voice in the commentaries.
He’s also worked as a broadcaster for Fox Sports, calling games for the NFL. Desmond served there for one season, sharing the studio with former ESPN colleague Carter Blackburn.
Currently, Desmond is at ESPN, where he is an analyst for college football.
He has got prominent roles in College GameDay & College Football Live. He evaluates the NCAA games and other college-level games with his expertise.
Video games
Howard has been featured in EA Sport’s NCAA Football video game series. He was the cover athlete for the series’ latest installment in NCAA Football 06.
The college footballers who went to the NFL the previous year used to be featured on the cover.
The renowned Desmond’s celebration “The Heisman pose” was the illustration for the game’s new feature, “Race for the Heisman.” The picture is an icon for all those who are interested in college football games.
Achievements and Honors
Howard was a brilliant player in his college career.
The 1991 Heisman Trophy winner has bagged honorable awards like Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and Chicago Tribune Silver Football award in the 1991 season.
Sporting News honored him with the College Football Player of the Year 1991. The last ever UPI College Football Player of the Year title is held by him.
The Super Bowl XXXI Most Valuable Player received Big Ten’s Athlete of the Year 1991 award.
Moreover, the College Football Hall of Fame inductee has had his jersey no. 21 retired by the Michigan University’s football team.
Besides, Howard had also been inducted into the National Football College Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in 2008.
Likewise, he had also been inducted into the State of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Wedding and Children
Desmond Howard married his longtime girlfriend, Rebekah. She is an authorized attorney. Besides, she also serves as an executive in event management and marketing.
Reports suggest the couple got married in a private ceremony. The couple resides happily in their house in Miami, Florida.
Notably, the couple has had three children, two sons, and a daughter until now. Desmond Jr and Dhamir are their sons, and Sydney is their daughter.
Desmond spends adequate time with his wife and children. No controversies or tensions have been reported about the Howard family until today.
Desmond seems to have a happy married life as no extra affairs have been rumored involving him or his wife.
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Social Media Presence
Howard uses Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as his social media handles. He is pretty much active on these platforms and frequently reaches out to his fans and admirers.
One can have a glimpse of the latest college and professional football news through his social media posts.
His Twitter has 377,500 followers, his Facebook has 33,707 followers and his Instagram has 42,000 followers
