Darren M. Howard (born November 19, 1976) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who was a

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the Kansas State Wildcats and was selected by the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. Howard also played for the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

Early years

Howard attended Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida and was a

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and

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. In football, he was an All-City, All-County, and an All-SunCoast selection. In basketball, he helped lead his team to the 1994 Florida State Championship.

College career

Howard played

for the Kansas State Wildcats.

Professional career

2000-2005: New Orleans Saints

Howard was selected by the

in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. From

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, he played

for the Saints. In his rookie season he posted an impressive 11 sacks and an interception.

2006-2009: Philadelphia Eagles

On March 13, 2006, he joined the

through free agency, by signing a six-year deal. In

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

, Howard led the Eagles in sacks (10.5), most of which came from the

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...

position in passing downs. He was released on March 18, 2010.

NFL statistics

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Darren 1976 births Living people Players of American football from Pinellas County, Florida American football defensive ends American football defensive tackles Kansas State Wildcats football players New Orleans Saints players Philadelphia Eagles players