Mike Howell

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Mike Howell
No. 34, 43
Date of birth (1943-07-05) July 5, 1943 (age 80)
Place of birthWest Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)Safety
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight195 lb (88 kg)
US collegeGrambling State
AFL draft1965 / Round: 15 / Pick: 118
Drafted bySan Diego Chargers[1]
NFL draft1965 / Round: 8 / Pick: 111
Drafted byCleveland Browns
Career history
As player
1965–1972Cleveland Browns
1972Miami 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

  1. ^ "1965 AFL Draft". Archived from the original on February 25, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  2. .
  3. ^
    Cleveland Plain Dealer
    , August 16, 2012. Retrieved on May 11, 2013.
  4. ^ Schalter, Ty. "Why African-American QBs Are Systemically Trained to Abandon Mechanics". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  5. .