Desmond Howard

Desmond Kevin Howard

University of Michigan Football Player (1989 – 1991)

Detroit Lions Player (1999 - 2002)

Desmond Howard was born in Cleveland, Ohio attending Cleveland St. Joseph High School where he excelled in football, basketball and track. Football was where Howard had the biggest impact as he earned All-State and All-American honors. Howard went on to excel in football at the University of Michigan where he set or tied five NCAA records and twelve U of M records. His 1991 season was so outstanding that he earned first-team All-American honors along with the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award and the Heisman Trophy. He was selected as the number 4 pick in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. In all he played for six NFL teams during his 11-year career, where he was known primarily as a return specialist accumulating 12,155 all-purpose yards. Howard was on the Super Bowl winning Green Bay Packers and earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XXXI. Desmond Howard had his #21 jersey retired by the University of Michigan in 2015, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, the U of M Athletic Hall of Honor and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.