Howard Fest

{{Short description|American football player (born 1946)}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| image = Howard Fest 1969.jpg

| caption =

| position = Tackle/Guard

| number = 72

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|4|11}}

| birth_place = San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

| death_date =

| draftyear = 1968

| draftround = 6

| draftpick = 139

| undraftedyear =

| college = Texas

| pastteams =

• Cincinnati Bengals (1968–1975)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976–1977)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 127

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 77

| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue3 = 3

| pfr =

| cfl =

| afl =

| highlights =

}}

Howard Arthur Fest (born April 11, 1946) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).

He attended Thomas Edison High School in San Antonio. He played college football at the University of Texas, where he was a tight end.{{Cite web|url=http://www.texassports.com/sports/2013/6/28/FB_1966_Roster.aspx?id=76|title=1966 Football Roster}} As a sophomore during the 1965 season, he played sparingly and caught one pass for nine yards as the Longhorns went 6-4 under College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Royal.{{Cite web|url=http://www.texassports.com/sports/2013/6/28/FB_1966_Roster.aspx?id=76|title=1966 Football Roster}} In his junior year he was switched to offensive tackle as the Longhorns went 7-4, including a 19-0 win in the Bluebonnet Bowl over Ole Miss.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/texas/1966.html |title=1966 Texas Longhorns Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com |access-date=January 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203904/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/texas/1966.html |archive-date=February 1, 2014 }} In his senior season of 1967, the Longhorns were 6-4.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/texas/1967.html |title=1967 Texas Longhorns Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com |access-date=January 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203801/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/texas/1967.html |archive-date=February 1, 2014 }}

After his senior year, he was chosen in the sixth round (139th overall) of the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FestHo20/gamelog/|title=Howard Fest Career Game Log|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}

He was an original member of the AFL Cincinnati Bengals, playing with them for eight years. He began his career at tackle, but later moved to guard. He was given the nickname "Mr. Consistency" by his teammates."Bay Bucs Draftees". St. Petersburg Times. April 1, 1976

During his eight seasons with the Bengals, he never missed a game, playing in 112 games, of which he started 63.

He was made available in the 1976 NFL expansion draft, and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played two seasons. He started all 14 games of the 1976 season. He played in just one game his final season of 1977.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FestHo20.htm|title = Howard Fest Stats|website = Pro-Football-Reference.com}}