Jordan Howard scores a touchdown against Iowa in 20156 Image: Cam Koenig Hoosier Huddle
Written By Evan McShane (@veryreasonable)
Jordan Howard | Chicago Bears | RB
Jordan Howard’s only college offer out of high school was from the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB). The two-star recruit who went unnoticed had back-to-back outstanding seasons at UAB before the school suddenly shut down football operations. Forced to transfer, Howard found a home in Bloomington. Former running backs coach Deland McCullough, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, enticed Howard to continue his collegiate career at IU. The timing was perfect because McCullough needed a runner capable of replacing Tevin Coleman. Howard proved he was more than capable of filling the void shortly after he arrived on campus.
His lone season at Indiana was a memorable one. Howard lived up to the hype and added more credibility to Indiana’s recent nickname: RBU (an abbreviation for Running Back University). He produced absurd numbers on the field, pacing a prolific offense and helping lead IU to their first bowl berth in eight years. Howard will be remembered as a true warrior by Hoosier fans. He battled and played through a plethora of injuries during his entire junior season. He was limited to seeing action in just nine games, and was unable to finish a couple contests due to injury. Nothing would stop Jordan Howard from making his mark on the Indiana football program, and continuing a tradition of ultra-productive running backs.
Howard erupted for 1,213 rushing yards and ten total touchdowns for the Hoosiers in 2016. Howard was nearly impossible to bring down in college, listed at 6-foot-1, 230-pounds. He was remarkably patient and packed a serious punch. At times, it looked like Howard was seeking contact just so he could bulldoze a defender. His power running game was built for the Big Ten. Howard was named to both the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award Watch Lists. Rival coaches and media honored him with a First Team All-Big Ten nomination. As a Hoosier, Howard recorded two games with more than 200 rushing yards, and three games with over 30 carries. The man is a workhorse, plain and simple. That fact has translated seamlessly to the NFL. Howard left early for the 2016 NFL Draft where he was largely overlooked until the Chicago Bears selected him in the fifth round (150th overall). Chicago knew there was something special about Howard when they drafted him, but no one could have predicted the level of success he would achieve during his first two seasons.
Jordan Howard had a rookie season that will go down in the history books. Despite Chicago’s woes – finishing with a 3-12 record – Howard would become a beacon of hope amidst a grim 2016 campaign. After missing the Bears’ first game of the season, Howard had just 22 yards on three carries in his NFL debut. However, in his third game as a pro, Howard busted out a 111-yard performance in a win against the Detroit Lions. The next game he bested his career-high, logging 118 rushing yards and scoring his first NFL touchdown in just his fourth game as a professional. Howard didn’t stop there. He had seven 100-yard games, totaling 1,313 yards and six touchdowns in his first professional season. He set the Bears franchise rookie record for rushing yards in a season. Howard finished in second place for the NFL’s rushing title and was a bona fide Rookie of the Year candidate. His 5.2 yards per carry average was good enough for fourth in the league. He was also top-ten in yards per game and all-purpose yards. He only fumbled once. Howard was honored with a 2016 Pro Bowl selection, and was named to the 2016 NFL All-Rookie Team.
Howard was also honored off the field when the Bears announced he was a 2016 Piccolo Award winner. Described by Chicago Tribune, The Piccolo Awards are voted on annually by Bears players and given to teammates who show great dedication, loyalty, teamwork, a commitment to excellence and a sense of humor, all qualities embodied by Brian Piccolo, the former Bears running back died of cancer in 1970. The Bears offensive coordinator at the time, Dowell Loggains explained why Howard won the award: “He displays what humility looks like,” Loggains said. “He had a great year and went to the Pro Bowl. But he’s the same kid every day. The success, to this point, has not changed him. He’s started this offseason already working his tail off.” Howard is indeed humble, and his hard work off the field is paying dividends.
Howard was again one of the few bright spots during a trying 2017 Bears’ season where they limped to a 5-11 record while implementing a rookie quarterback. The infamous sophomore slump couldn’t touch Howard. The first game of the season featured a matchup with Tevin Coleman and the Atlanta Falcons. Though the two didn’t share the field in Bloomington, they’ve developed a bond. “We talk a lot,” Coleman said in an interview with ESPN. “I was just with him over the offseason. We were chopping it up and chilling. I’m going to need that jersey up off of him, that J. Howard.” During the third game of the season, Howard put the team on his back like we’ve seen him do many times before. He exploded for 140 yards and two touchdowns in a huge home win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Howard scored the game-winning, walk-off touchdown in overtime with this 19-yard scamper.