Thomas Howard (American football) facts for kids
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Howard in 2009.
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| Position: | Outside linebacker | ||||||||||||||
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| Born: | July 14, 1983 Lubbock, Texas, U.S. |
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| Died: | November 18, 2013 (aged 30) Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Lubbock (TX) Estacado | ||||||||||||||
| College: | UTEP | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 38 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Thomas Arquis Howard (July 14, 1983 – November 18, 2013) was an American football linebacker. He played in the National Football League (NFL). He was chosen by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Thomas also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the University of Texas at El Paso.
College Football Journey
Thomas Howard started his college football career at the University of Texas at El Paso as a walk-on. This means he joined the team without a scholarship at first. He then had a "redshirt" year, which means he practiced but didn't play in games.
In his first year playing, he did very well. Sporting News named him to their All-WAC Freshman team. He played in 11 games and started 4 times as a weakside linebacker.
The next season, he played in 13 games and started 10. His junior year was even better. He was named Second Team All-WAC. He also helped his team reach their first bowl game since 2001. His senior year was not as strong, even though he was named pre-season defensive player of the year in Texas.
Playing in the NFL
Time with the Oakland Raiders
His First Season (2006)
In 2006, Thomas Howard made 110 tackles. Of these, 88 were solo tackles. He also had 1 pass deflection.
Second Season (2007)
Howard's second NFL season started strong. He made an interception in each of his first 4 games. Two of these interceptions were returned for touchdowns! He also recorded a quarterback sack and 8 passes defensed.
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In just his second year, Howard led all linebackers in the NFL with 6 interceptions. These interceptions gained 172 yards and led to 2 touchdowns. By the end of 2007, Howard had 95 tackles (77 solo), 11 pass deflections, 6 interceptions, 1 sack, and 2 touchdowns.
Third Season (2008)
In 2008, Howard got his first career forced fumble. This happened during a win against the Kansas City Chiefs. He forced another fumble later in the season against the Houston Texans. For the 2008 season, Thomas Howard had 97 tackles (80 solo), 5 pass deflections, 1 interception, 1 sack, and 2 forced fumbles.
Fourth Season (2009)
In 2009, Howard had a career-low 79 tackles, but 72 of them were solo. He also achieved a career-high of 2 sacks. He finished the season with 79 tackles (72 solo), 6 pass deflections, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
Fifth Season (2010)
The Oakland Raiders decided to release him after 12 games in the 2010 season.
With the Cincinnati Bengals
First Season (2011)
In 2011, Thomas Howard signed a 2-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. The deal was worth $6.5 million.
Second Season (2012)
On September 13, 2012, news came out that the Bengals placed Thomas Howard on injured reserve. This happened after he tore his ACL (a knee ligament) during practice.
Short Time with the Atlanta Falcons
First Season (2013)
The Atlanta Falcons signed Howard on October 22, 2013. However, they released him shortly after, on November 12, 2013. He played in only two games for them.
His NFL Stats
Thomas Howard played in 93 NFL games during his career. He had a total of 494 tackles. He also recorded 6 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, and 7 interceptions. Two of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
About Thomas's Life
His Family
Thomas Howard was born and grew up in Lubbock, Texas. He went to Lubbock Estacado High School. His father, Thomas Howard, Sr., also played as a linebacker in the NFL. Thomas Howard's cousin is the singer Terry Ellis, who is famous for being a member of the group En Vogue.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
In January 2010, Thomas Howard gave money to the Bay Area After-School All-Stars. This program offers free after-school activities for young people who need them. The program helps students with homework, art, and sports.
Howard also started the Thomas Howard Foundation in September 2009. This foundation aimed to help students reach their academic and athletic goals. It offered scholarships and programs for young people who wanted to do well in both school and sports. Some of its programs included the Annual Walk-On Scholarship and supporting the After-School All-Stars.
His Passing
On November 18, 2013, Thomas Howard was in a car crash in Oakland, California. He was one of two people who died in the accident on Interstate Highway 880.
Images for kids
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Howard in 2009.
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Thomas Howard playing football.
