Jordan Howard

Early life and high school

Jordan Reginald Howard was born on November 2, 1994 in Gardendale, Alabama. Even in youth football, his coach said that he was the fastest kid on the field. He started two years for the Gardendale Rockets high school team. During his last two years of high school, he ran a total of two thousand eight hundred seventy six yards.

College

In 2013, Howard began playing for the University of Alabama-Birmingham. His one hundred fifty nine yards rushed against Florida International University would be his season high, and the season total was eight hundred eighty one yards. At six yards per carry, he was second place in Conference USA.

His second season with the University of Alabama-Birmingham saw major improvement. He set a school season record of one thousand five hundred eighty seven rushing yards. This allowed him to rank in seventh place in Division One.

The University of Alabama-Birmingham shut down their football team, so Howard transferred to Indiana to finish his college career. While there, he had a season high of two hundred thirty eight yards and two touchdowns. He would only play one season for them because he chose to forgo his senior year in order to join the 2015 draft.

NFL Draft

During the NFL combine, not only was Howard noted for his skilled running but also his versatility. He always chose the best angles to gain the most yards. During the excersizes, he had a vertical jump of thirty four inches. Despite his large physique, he was able to maneuver around in the tightest of areas. Although his running speed was highly regarded, some of the setbacks noted were that he only ran in one speed. That one speed did not allow him to stop easily and he would take big hits, which made scouts question just how prone to injury he would be.

2016 NFL season

On May 9, 2016, the Chicago Bears signed Howard to a four year contract and a salary of $2.8 million. Although he was only supposed to begin the season as the Bears third running back, injuries to the preceding players would mean he got more playing time than anticipated. During his rookie debut against the Philadelphia Eagles, he rushed twenty two yards and had two receptions and nine yards. He got his starter debut against the Detroit Lions, and later in the season, he scored his first career touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. One of the highlights of his first season isbecoming the first rookie in team history to reach one thousand rushing yards. Although the Bears did not have the best of seasons, Howard still ranked eighth in the NFL for rushing.

Personal life

Howard’s father, Bernard “Doc” Howard died in 2007. Since his father’s death, Howard has not only been an outspoken supporter of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, but he also wears a white t-shirt with his father’s picture on it under his pads.

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