WHO IS THIS GUY?
An all-district honorable mention at strong
safety for Estacado High in Lubbock, Texas,
Howard attended UTEP where he transitioned
to linebacker and into the starting lineup
as a freshman. He eventually became a
defensive captain for the Miners and in 48
games he recorded 296 tackles and added 13
sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss. As a senior in
2005, Howard was an All-Conference USA
second-team selection, and the following
spring he was selected in the second round of
the 2006 NFL Draft by the Raiders. He
stepped immediately into the starting lineup
as a rookie in Oakland, taking over at outside
linebacker and recording 110 tackles in 16
games (15 starts). In 2007, Howard started
all 16 games and showed exceptional ball
skills for a linebacker, as he led the Raiders
with six interceptions. He returned two of
those picks for scores and led the AFC with
172 yards on his six interception returns.
A TALENTED FAMILY
Howard’s father, Thomas Sr., was an All-
American linebacker at Texas Tech who
enjoyed a nine-year NFL career with the
Kansas City Chiefs (1977-1983) and St. Louis
Cardinals (1984-1985). He played in 113
career games, totaling 556 tackles, 17.5 sacks,
seven interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
The younger Howard is also a cousin of
Terry Ellis, a member of the singing group En
Vogue. To date, En Vogue has sold over
twenty million albums and singles worldwide.
They have won more MTV Video Music
Awards than any other female group in MTV
history, a total of seven.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Oakland Raiders
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