Howard Stevens

Last updated

Howard Stevens
Stevens-Howard-1977.jpg
Stevens in 1977
No. 22, 27
Position: Running back,
Return specialist
Personal information
Born: (1950-02-09) February 9, 1950 (age 74)
Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S.
Height:5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight:165 lb (75 kg)
Career information
High school: Harrisonburg
(Harrisonburg, Virginia)
College: Louisville, Randolph-Macon
NFL draft: 1973  / Round: 16 / Pick: 392
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:63
Starts:0
Punts returned:163 (1,559 yards)
Kickoffs returned:103 (2,336 yards)
Yards rushing:376
Touchdowns:4
Player stats at PFR

Howard Melvin Stevens Jr. (born February 9, 1950) is an American former National Football League (NFL) running back and return specialist who played for the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Colts. [1] He is among the smallest players to have ever played in the NFL and was the smallest player in the league during his five active seasons, 1973 through 1977. [2]

Contents

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] On a team that won the Mason–Dixon Conference championship with a 9–0–0 record in his freshman year, he was the league Most Valuable Player as the NCAA College Division leader in scoring and rushing with 142 points and 1,468 yards respectively and was featured in Faces in the Crowd in the January 20, 1969 issue of Sports Illustrated . [4] He transferred to the University of Louisville where he earned a B.A. in Psychology. [5]

Stevens played only two seasons for Louisville but has been inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame. [6] 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. [7] 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. [8]

NFL

Stevens, who was listed at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) tall and 165 lb (75 kg)., [9] was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 16th round (392nd overall) of the 1973 Draft. [10] He played two years for the Saints, lead the NFL in 1974 in kick-off and punt returns. [11] 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] He 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. [12]

Later years

After leaving the Baltimore Colts, Stevens remained in the Baltimore area. He and his wife Joyce have three adult children.

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References

  1. ↑ "All-Time Players". National Football league. Archived from the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Runts in the Big League". Time. December 5, 1977. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  3. ↑ "R-MC Football All-Americans". Randolph-Macon College. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Faces in the Crowd," Sports Illustrated, January 20, 1969. Archived January 22, 2021, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 24, 2020
  5. ↑ "Howard Stevens". Pro Player Connect. Retrieved January 12, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ "Athletic Hall of Fame". University of Louisville. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  7. ↑ "All-Americans". University of Louisville. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  8. ↑ "University of Louisville Football Post-Game Notes". University of Louisville. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Who is the shortest NFL player?". NokiaSugarbowl. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Howard Stevens". Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  11. ↑ "1974 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". ProFootball References.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Stevens: Career Stats". NFL.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
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