Howard Richards (American football) facts for kids

Howard Glenn Richards, Jr. (born August 7, 1959) is a former American football player. He played as an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Richards played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Missouri Tigers.

Early Life and School

Howard Richards was born on August 7, 1959, in St. Louis, Missouri. When he was ten years old, in 1969, he joined a special program for gifted students. This program was at Wade Elementary School, and he had to travel there by bus because of rules about school desegregation at the time.

He went to Southwest High School. As a freshman, he played baseball, basketball, and football. In his second and third years, he played less football and basketball. By his senior year, he focused only on football.

College Football Career

Richards earned a football scholarship to the University of Missouri. He started playing right tackle as a freshman, starting four games. This was the beginning of an impressive streak where he started 40 games in a row. He played under coaches Al Onofrio and Warren Powers.

He became a very good offensive tackle for the Missouri Tigers. In his junior and senior years, he was named to the All-Big Eight team. In 1980, his final year, he was a co-captain for the offense. He also received second-team All-American honors. After college, he played in two important games, the Senior Bowl and the Hula Bowl.

Professional Football Career

Playing for the Dallas Cowboys

In the 1981 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys chose Howard Richards as the 26th overall pick. This was only the third time the Cowboys had picked an offensive lineman in the first round.

In his second season, Richards became a starter at left guard. However, in the next year, he shared playing time with All-Pro player Herb Scott.

In 1984, Richards had a chance to become the starting left tackle. But he got a groin muscle injury and was replaced by another player, Phil Pozderac. He still started four games at left tackle that season. Later, he had another injury, a torn quadriceps, which ended his season early. Despite his injuries, he received the Ed Block Courage Award that year. This award honors players who show courage and leadership.

Richards had three strong years early in his career. But then, injuries caused him to miss games in the next two seasons. In 1985, he was on a special list for players who were physically unable to play. He did not return to the team until October. For the 1986 season, he was named the starting right guard. However, more injuries kept him from playing much, and he only appeared in nine games.

The Cowboys released Richards on June 18, 1987. This happened after the team had its first losing season in 22 years. Even though he helped the Cowboys win two division championships, his career was often affected by injuries.

Time with the Seattle Seahawks

In 1987, NFL players went on strike. The league decided to play games with replacement players. Howard Richards joined the Seattle Seahawks replacement team on October 7.

He played in two games for the Seahawks. But then, he suffered a knee injury during a game against the Detroit Lions. He was placed on the injured reserve list on October 20. Richards decided to retire from football at the end of that season.

Life After Football

After his football career, Howard Richards worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for 13 years. Today, he works as a football analyst for the University of Missouri. He provides commentary for their games on the Tiger Radio Network. He is also a Senior Manager at the College of Arts and Science at Missouri.

Howard Richards has family members who also played professional football. He is the first cousin of Erik McMillan, who played for the New York Jets. He is also the nephew of Ernie McMillan, who played for the Saint Louis Cardinals.

In 2012, the University of Missouri's College of Arts & Science honored Richards as a distinguished alumni. In 2015, he received another award from the university, the Faculty - Alumni Award. This award recognizes achievements by both faculty and former students. Also in 2015, Howard Richards was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.