Jeff Howard (born January 13, 1983) is an American football coach who is the defensive backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks.[1]

Jeff Howard
Seattle Seahawks
Position:Defensive backs coach
Personal information
Born: (1983-01-13) January 13, 1983 (age 41)
Career information
College:Eastern New Mexico
Career history
As a coach:

Playing career

edit

Howard played linebacker for Eastern New Mexico from 2001–2004 and was a 4-time Academic All-Lone Star Conference member. Howard earned 1st Team All-Lone Star Conference honors as a linebacker (LB) in 2003–2004[2] while capping his career by being named a 2004 AFCA Division II All-American[3] and graduating cum laude with a degree in biology and chemistry. Howard had his jersey retired by Eastern New Mexico in 2006 and entered ENMU Hall of Honor in 2011.[4]

Coaching career

edit

Early coaching career

edit

Howard transitioned from his on-field playing days to coaching at Odessa Permian High School in Odessa, Texas. Howard was on staff from 2007–2010, during which he assisted the defensive backs and LBs before becoming the defensive coordinator in 2009–2010. Howard was on the Texas Tech staff from 2011–2012, he started in the summer of 2011 as an offensive assistant working with the offensive line position then moving to the defensive side of the ball to serve in the defensive quality control role for the 2011 season and coaching the safety position in 2012.[5]

Minnesota Vikings

edit

Howard joined the Minnesota Vikings for the 2013 NFL season as assistant to the head coach, Leslie Frazier. In 2014 he was promoted to defensive assistant and continued at the defensive assistant-linebackser in 2015 and assistant defensive backs in for the 2019 season.[6][7]

Cleveland Browns

edit

On January 29, 2020, the Cleveland Browns[1] announced that Howard would be joining their team under Head Coach Kevin Stefanski[8] as the team's defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator.[9] Howard missed the team's wild card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021, due to COVID-19 protocols.[10]

Los Angeles Chargers

edit

On February 11, 2023, the Los Angeles Chargers hired Howard as their linebackers coach.[11]

Seattle Seahawks

edit

In February 2024, he was hired as the defensive backs coach for the Seahawks.[12]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Browns to Hire Jeff Howard as Defensive Backs Coach, Passing Game Coordinator". Maven. January 29, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  2. ^ "Lone Star Conference Football - Eastern New Mexico". static.lonestarconference.org. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  3. ^ http://www.ferris-pages.org/Sports/FOOTBALL/archives/04news/04afcaallamericans.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "Jeff Howard (2011) - Hall of Honors". Eastern New Mexico University Athletics. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  5. ^ "Cleveland Browns". www.clevelandbrowns.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Jeff Howard named Cleveland Browns' pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach". WKYC. February 11, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  7. ^ "Vikings Announce 2019 Coaching Staff". Vikings Territory. February 10, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  8. ^ "Browns Name Jeff Howard Pass Game Coordinator/DB's Coach". theOBR.com. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  9. ^ "Browns to Hire Jeff Howard as Defensive Backs Coach, Passing Game Coordinator". SI.com. January 29, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  10. ^ Smith, Pete (January 8, 2021). "Browns Finally Practice, 7 Players Listed as Questionable, Including 3 All-Pros". SI.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  11. ^ "Report: Chargers to Hire Browns' Jeff Howard as New Inside Linebackers Coach". si.com. February 10, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "Report: Seahawks to hire Jeff Howard as assistant coach". NBC Sports. February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
edit