| No. 22, 27 | |
| Running back | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: February 9, 1950 | |
| Place of birth: Harrisonburg, Virginia | |
| Career information | |
| College: Louisville, Randolph-Macon | |
| NFL Draft: 1973 / Round: 16 / Pick: 392 | |
| Debuted in 1973 for the [[{{{debutteam}}}]] | |
| Last played in 1977 for the [[{{{finalteam}}}]] | |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| * Lead NFL in punt and kick-off returns (1974) | |
| Total all-purpose yards | 4,271 |
| Career touchdowns | 4 |
Howard Melvin Stevens Jr. (born February 9, 1950, in Harrisonburg, Virginia ) is a former NFL running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and the Baltimore Colts.[1] He was one of the smallest players to play in the NFL and was the smallest during his 5 years in the league.[2]
College[]
Stevens started his college career at Randolph-Macon College, where he was named All-American in 1968 (honorable mention) and 1969 (second team)[3] and then transferred to the University of Louisville where he earned a B.A. in Psychology .[4] Stevens played only two seasons for Louisville but has been inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame.[5] In 1972, Stevens was named to the United Press International, the Walter Camp and the Football News all-American football teams and the Associated Press Second Team.[6] The University of Louisville retired Stevens' jersey in 1972. He set a school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,429 yards in 1971 while scoring 12 touchdowns. He is currently ranked fourth all-time in school history with 2,723 rushing yards and is sixth with 25 career touchdowns.[7]
NFL[]
Stevens, who was listed at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) tall and 165 lb (75 kg).,[8] was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 16th round (392nd overall) of the 1973 Draft.[9] He played two years for the Saints, lead the NFL in 1974 in kick-off and punt returns.[10] In 1975, Stevens was picked up by the Baltimore Colts where he was used exclusively as a kick-off and punt returner. During his tenure in the NFL, he was the league's smallest player,[2] rushed for a total of 376 yards on 89 carries and scored 4 touchdowns. As a kick returner he ran for 2336 yards on 103 returns. He returned 163 punts for 1,559 yards. He never returned a kick-off or punt for a touchdown.[11]
Later years[]
After leaving the Baltimore Colts, Stevens remained in the Baltimore area. He is currently a financial consultant and the owner of Stevens Financial which specializes in retirement financial planning and seminars.[4] In 2005, Stevens was appointed to the Maryland Stadium Authority, the MSA is responsible for overseeing the building of new sports venues in the state of Maryland.[12] He and his wife Joyce have three adult children and currently live in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
References[]
- ↑ "All-Time Players". National Football league. http://www.nfl.com/players/howardstevens/profile?id=STE613470. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Runts in the Big League". Time. 1977-12-05. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,915782-1,00.html. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "R-MC Football All-Americans". Randolph-Macon College. http://www.rmc.edu/athletics/Mens/football/allamericans.aspx. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Howard Stevens". Pro Player Connect. https://www.proplayerconnect.com/athlete/profile/606?sport_id=1. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "Athletic Hall of Fame". University of Louisville. http://uoflsports.cstv.com/trads/lou-trads-hall-of-fame.html. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "All-Americans". University of Louisville. http://uoflsports.cstv.com/trads/lou-trads-all-americans.html. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "University of Louisville Football Post-Game Notes". University of Louisville. http://uoflsports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/092207aae.html. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "Who is the shortest NFL player?". NokiaSugarbowl. http://www.nokiasugarbowl.com/Football_Knowledge/Football_Player/41440.html. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "Howard Stevens". Sports Reference.com. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StevHo00.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
- ↑ "1974 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". ProFootball References.com. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1974/leaders.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
- ↑ "Stevens: Career Stats". NFL.com. http://www.nfl.com/players/howardstevens/careerstats?id=STE613470. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
- ↑ "Organizational Structure". Maryland State Archives. http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/25ind/html/66stad.html. Retrieved 2009-01-12.