Mike Howell
Appearance
No. 34, 43 | |
Date of birth | July 5, 1943 |
---|---|
Place of birth | West Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
Career information | |
Position(s) | Safety |
Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
US college | Grambling State |
AFL draft | 1965 / Round: 15 / Pick: 118 |
Drafted by | San Diego Chargers[1] |
NFL draft | 1965 / Round: 8 / Pick: 111 |
Drafted by | Cleveland Browns |
Career history | |
As player | |
1965–1972 | Cleveland Browns |
1972 | Miami Dolphins |
Michael Lionel Howell (born July 5, 1943) is a former
1965 NFL Draft out of Grambling State.[2]
A college quarterback,[3] Howell converted to defensive back in the NFL. Howell felt he had no chance playing quarterback in the NFL due to his race. At the time African-Americans were stereotyped as not being able to successfully play the position. "I know I'm not going into the NFL as a black quarterback," is what Howell told his coach, the legendary Eddie Robinson.[4] So, he changed to cornerback, winning a starting job in 1966, and moved to free safety in 1968.[3] Howell did not miss a league game during his career in Cleveland,[3] and intercepted 27 passes during his NFL career.[5]
In 2012, the
Cleveland Plain Dealer selected Howell as one of the 100 best players in Browns history.[3]
References
- ^ "1965 AFL Draft". Archived from the original on February 25, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ISBN 978-1-4027-4216-3.
- ^ Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 16, 2012. Retrieved on May 11, 2013.
- ^ Schalter, Ty. "Why African-American QBs Are Systemically Trained to Abandon Mechanics". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- ISBN 0-312-05089-5.