David Howard (born December 8, 1961) 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 ...

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

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) for the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

and

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

. He also was a member of the Los Angeles Express in the

United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

(USFL). 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 ...

Long Beach State University California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), also known in athletics as Long Beach State University (LBSU), is a public teaching-focused institution in Long Beach, California, United States. The 322-acre campus is the second largest in the ...

Early life

Howard attended

Long Beach Polytechnic High School Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a four-year public high school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States. The school serves portions of Long Beach, including Bixby ...

, where he was the city co-player of the year in 1978. He accepted a football scholarship from

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...

and was a starter as a freshman at

, but decided to transfer to

Long Beach State California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), also known in athletics as Long Beach State University (LBSU), is a public teaching-focused institution in Long Beach, California, United States. The 322-acre campus is the second largest in the ...

at the end of the season. He was named the starter at

middle linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the li ...

as a sophomore. As a senior, he registered 89 tackles (51 solo), 6 tackles for loss and 2 fumble recoveries. He finished his career with 242 tackles, 17 sacks, 6 interceptions and 16 passes defensed. In 1998, he was inducted into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Los Angeles Express

Howard was selected in the

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

USFL Territorial Draft The United States Football League had two types of drafts as their main sources for player recruitment: the collegiate draft and the territorial draft. The collegiate draft resembled its NFL counterpart, in which teams were given a position in the ...

by the Los Angeles Express. He was a starter the two years he played for the team.

Minnesota Vikings

He was selected by the

in the third round of the

1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL players The 1984 NFL supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players was a one-time draft of United States Football League (USFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL) players held on June 5, 1984. While there were a few Hall of Famers and Pro Bowl players in ...

. In

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

, he replaced an injured Scott Studwell and received 4 starts after the twelfth game of the season. He registered 80 tackles, 5 passes defensed and 3 forced fumbles. The next year, he was named the starter at right outside linebacker, posting 88 tackles (sixth on the team), 55 solo tackles, 2 passes defensed and 3 forced fumbles (tied for the team lead), despite missing three games with a hyper-extended right elbow. In

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

, he played in 10 games (7 starts) after missing four games with a sprained ankle, recording 33 tackles (24 solo), 2 passes defensed and one interception. The next year, he started in all the games, finishing with 46 tackles (31 solo), 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Against the

, he had 2 solo tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. On October 12,

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

, he was sent to the

as part of the

Herschel Walker trade The Herschel Walker trade was the largest player trade in the history of the National Football League (NFL). The deal, completed on October 12, 1989, centered on sending running back Herschel Walker from the Dallas Cowboys to the Minnesota Vikin ...

. At the time he started 3 games and had 15 tackles.

Dallas Cowboys

, his playing time was limited because there were conditional draft picks attached to the Vikings traded players and the

wanted the selections instead of keeping Howard and the others. Head coach Jimmy Johnson eventually had second thoughts on the February 1 deadline and traded three future draft choices (third-round and tenth-round in

1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...

and a third-round in

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

) to the Vikings for the right to retain the original full package of draft choices, plus Howard,

Issiac Holt Issiac Holt III (born October 4, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Alcorn State ...

and

Jesse Solomon Jesse William Solomon (born November 4, 1963) is an American former professional football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. He p ...

. He shared the

strongside linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

position with

Jack Del Rio Jack Louis Del Rio Jr. (born April 4, 1963) is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who is the head coach of the Paris Musketeers of the European League of Football (ELF). He played college football for the USC Trojans ...

in the final eight games, playing in the second and fourth quarters. He finished the season with 18 tackles (9 solo) and one quarterback pressure in 11 games. In

, he appeared in 16 games as a backup and made 11 tackles (3 solo). On April 19,

, after not having any starts during his time with the Cowboys, he was traded to the

along with

Eugene Lockhart Eugene Lockhart, Jr. (born March 7, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. He played college football at the Universit ...

cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...

Ron Francis Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey sports executive and former player. He currently serves as the president of hockey operations for the Seattle Kraken. He spent most of his career as either a player or ex ...

, a 1991 first round pick (#11

Pat Harlow Patrick Christopher Harlow (born March 16, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans. His son, Sean Harlow, became ...

), and a 1991 second round pick (#41 Jerome Henderson), in exchange for the first overall draft pick of the

1991 NFL draft The 1991 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 21–22, 1991, at the Marriott Ma ...

(

Russell Maryland Russell James Maryland (born March 22, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 10 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He p ...

New England Patriots

, he played in all 16 games (5 starts) at right outside linebacker, registering 60 tackles (40 solo), 3 passes defensed and one sack. The next year, he played in 16 games (10 starts), finishing with 78 tackles (59 solo), 3 forced fumbles (tied team lead), 2

special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...

tackles and one interception. He was released on July 24,

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

, after having a difference of opinion about his sprained toe with new head coach

Bill Parcells Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells ( ; born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He came to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 19 ...

. David is CEO of Empower Me Inc. David is also founder of Urban Village Family Services and Stop Six Realty LLC.

References

External links

New England Patriots bio

Video Interview on Pain Resource
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, David 1961 births Living people Players of American football from Long Beach, California American football linebackers Oregon State Beavers football players California State University, Long Beach alumni Long Beach State 49ers football players Los Angeles Express players Minnesota Vikings players Dallas Cowboys players New England Patriots players Long Beach Polytechnic High School alumni Players of American football from Enterprise, Alabama