Chris Howard (American football) facts for kids

Chris Howard (born May 5, 1975) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Chris played for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Before that, the Denver Broncos picked him in the 1998 NFL draft.

Chris was a star player for the Michigan Wolverines football team in college. In 1997, his team won a national championship. He was also named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Hula Bowl in 1998.

Early Life and High School Football

Chris Howard was born in Kenner, Louisiana. He went to John Curtis Christian High School in River Ridge, Louisiana. This high school is known for its strong football program. After high school, Chris decided to play college football at the University of Michigan.

College Football Star

Chris Howard played four years for the Michigan Wolverines football team. He played from 1994 to 1997. During his college career, he ran for 1,876 yards. He also caught the ball for 429 yards. He scored many touchdowns for his team.

Playing for Michigan

Chris had nine games where he ran for over 100 yards. Four of these big games happened in his final year, 1997. His best rushing game was 127 yards against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 1996. He also once ran for 109 yards and scored four touchdowns against the UCLA Bruins. Chris also made one of the longest runs in Michigan's history, an 86-yard dash.

In 1996, he had five games with over 100 rushing yards. He played in only ten games that year. He gained 725 yards and scored ten touchdowns. He was the second-best rusher on his team that season.

Howard helped the 1997 Team win the national championship as the leading rusher in the 1998 Rose Bowl.

National Championship Season

In 1997, Chris was the top rusher for the Michigan team. They had an amazing undefeated season, winning all 12 games. The team won the national championship that year. Their defense was very strong, led by Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson.

Chris ran for 938 yards and caught the ball for 276 yards in 1997. He scored seven rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. He was a key part of Michigan's success.

One important game in 1997 was against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State was ranked second in the country. Chris ran for 120 yards and scored a touchdown in that game. Michigan's coach, Lloyd Carr, praised Chris after the game. He said Chris was a very "underrated back."

The 1997 season ended with a big win in the 1998 Rose Bowl. Michigan beat Washington State 21-16. Chris led all rushers in that game with 70 yards.

After his college career, Chris was named the MVP of the 1998 Hula Bowl. This is a special game for top college players. He ran for 116 yards in that game.

Playing in the NFL

The Denver Broncos picked Chris Howard in the fifth round of the 1998 NFL draft. However, he had some trouble holding onto the ball during pre-season games. This is called a fumble. Because of this, the Broncos released him before the regular season started.

Later in 1998, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Chris. The Jaguars' coach, Tom Coughlin, believed in Chris. He said they would help Chris improve his ball-handling skills.

Chris played for the Jaguars for a few seasons. In his professional career, he ran for 123 yards. He also caught five passes for 37 yards. In 2000, his final year, he had more fumbles in his first two games. These were his last games in the NFL.

Life After Football

On May 5, 2001, Chris Howard married actress Gabrielle Union. They later separated.