Ian Howfield

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Ian Howfield

| image = Ian howfield 2.jpg

| upright = .85

| number = 6, 3, 10

| position = Placekicker

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|6|4}}

| birth_place = Watford, England

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 235

| high_school = Columbine {{nowrap|(Columbine, Colorado)}}

| college = Tennessee

| undraftedyear = 1987

| teams =

Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|1988}})*
Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|1989}})*
Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|1990}})*
New York/New Jersey Knights (1991)*
Houston Oilers ({{NFL Year|1991}})
Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1992}})*
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1993}})*
Dallas Texans ({{AFL Year|1993}})
Baltimore Colts ({{CFL Year|1994}})*
Fort Worth Cavalry ({{AFL Year|1994}})
Las Vegas Sting ({{AFL Year|1995}})
Anaheim Piranhas ({{AFL Year|1996}}–{{AFL Year|1997}})
Tampa Bay Storm ({{AFL Year|2003}})
New York Dragons ({{AFL Year|2003}})
Tampa Bay Storm ({{AFL Year|2004}})
Las Vegas Gladiators ({{AFL Year|2004}})

| highlights =

Second-team All-Arena (1995)

| statlabel1 = Field goals made

| statvalue1 = 13

| statlabel2 = Field goal attempts

| statvalue2 = 18

| statlabel3 = Field goal %

| statvalue3 = 72.2

| statlabel4 = Longest field goal

| statvalue4 = 46

| statlabel5 = PAT made

| statvalue5 = 25

| statlabel6 = PAT attempted

| statvalue6 = 29

| aflstatlabel1 = Field goal made

| aflstatvalue1 = 92

| aflstatlabel2 = Field goal attempted

| aflstatvalue2 = 192

| aflstatlabel4 = PAT made

| aflstatvalue4 = 337

| aflstatlabel5 = PAT attempted

| aflstatvalue5 = 401

| afl = 760

| pfr = H/howfiian01

}}

Ian Michael Howfield (born June 4, 1966) is an English-American former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) and Arena Football League (AFL). Howfield, who played college football at the University of Tennessee, is the son of former NFL placekicker Bobby Howfield.

Howfield played in the NFL for the Houston Oilers in 1991 and led the team in scoring that year. He played in the AFL for the Dallas Texans, Fort Worth Cavalry, Las Vegas Sting, Anaheim Piranhas, Tampa Bay Storm, New York Dragons, and Las Vegas Gladiators.

Early life and college

Howfield was born in Watford, England, the son of former NFL placekicker Bobby Howfield.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/howfiian01.htm | title=Ian Howfield | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=20 May 2025}}[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/12/sports/football-from-father-to-son-howfields-know-leahy.html?scp=1&sq=ian%20howfield&st=cse Al Harvin, "From Father to Son, Howfields Know Leahy"], The New York Times, Oct 12, 1991 Howfield moved to the United States when he was six years old. He graduated from Columbine High School in 1984, then attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas from 1984 to 1985 on a soccer scholarship. He transferred to the University of Tennessee in 1986 to begin his placekicking career, graduating in 1988.

Professional career

=Miami Dolphins=

Howfield signed with the Miami Dolphins on April 29, 1988.{{cite web | url=https://profootballarchives.com/transactions/h/howf00400.html | title=Ian Howfield Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=20 May 2025}} In July 1988, it was reported that Howfield did not realize he was not an American citizen after going to get a passport for the Dolphins trip to London.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel/172772128/ | title=Green ordered to repay Bucs $190,000 | work=South Florida Sun Sentinel | date=July 22, 1988 | accessdate=20 May 2025 | author=Hill, Bob | pages=6C}} In regards to being born in England, Howfield stated "I was so young I thought I was a citizen, too." He ended up carrying a British passport for the team's trip. He was released by the Dolphins on August 9, 1988.

=Seattle Seahawks=

Howfield signed with the Seattle Seahawks on January 1, 1989. Howfield became a U.S. citizen in 1989. He was released by the Seahawks on August 30, 1989.

=Denver Broncos=

Howfield was signed by the Denver Broncos on April 16, 1990. He was released on August 22, 1990.

=New York/New Jersey Knights=

In February 1991, Howfield was selected by the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in the 1991 WLAF draft.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/usa-today/172767128/ | title=Football | work=USA Today | date=February 19, 1991 | accessdate=20 May 2025 | pages=2B}} He was released on March 3, 1991, before the start of the 1991 WLAF season.

=Houston Oilers=

In August 1991, Howfield, who was kicking for the semi-pro Oklahoma Twisters at the time, was watching a Houston Oilers preseason game and decided to call the Oilers and ask for a tryout.{{cite news|last=Sheinin|first=Dave|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1991/11/05/oilers-cut-howfield-after-his-rfk-miss/88e7aa17-b1c1-4555-80c8-fffe654e54fd/|title=Oilers cut Howfield after his RFK miss|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 5, 1991|access-date=May 10, 2020}} He was signed by the Oilers on August 14, 1991. Howfield eventually beat out Teddy Garcia and Raul Allegre for the Oilers' kicking position after making all three field goal attempts (38, 54, 29 yards) in his preseason debut against the Dallas Cowboys. Howfield made 13 of 18 field goal attempts and 25 of 29 extra point attempts for Houston. However, after he missed a potential game-winning field goal against Washington (the undefeated Redskins won on their own made field goal in overtime), Howfield was released the following day by the Oilers. In 2001, a blogger and former Oilers fan who cut any fan ties with the franchise after it moved to Tennessee listed Howfield's 1991 failure as one of the memories he was happy to bequeath to fans in Nashville, and Howfield responded with a long and enraged email response with insults aimed primarily at the blogger and at Al Del Greco, the kicker who replaced Howfield in Houston and remained the Oilers/Titans' kicker through the 2000 season.{{cite web | url=https://www.houstonprofootball.com/slant/slant10.html | title=Laces Out! | publisher=HoustonProFootball.com | date=December 15, 2021 | accessdate=20 May 2025 | author=Sweeney, Ric}}

=Philadelphia Eagles=

Howfield signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on April 30, 1992. He was released on August 24, 1992.

=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=

Howfield signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on April 12, 1993. However, he was later released.

=Dallas Texans=

Howfield then played in seven games for the Dallas Texans of the Arena Football League (AFL) during the 1993 AFL season, where he was 7 for 27 (25.9%) in field goals and 19 for 23 (82.6%) in extra points.{{cite news | url=https://profootballarchives.com/players/h/howf00400.html | title=Ian Howfield | work=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=20 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=yearly&histleague=1&fpage=leaders&year=1993 |title=AFL Arena Football History - Year By Year - 1993 |publisher=ArenaFan.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}}

=Baltimore Colts=

Howfield was signed by the Baltimore Colts of the Canadian Football League on March 9, 1994. He was released on June 13, 1994.

=Fort Worth Cavalry=

Howfield then played in nine games for the Fort Worth Cavalry of the AFL in 1994, where he made 10 of 29 (34.5%) field goals and 40 of 53 (75.5%) extra points.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=yearly&histleague=1&fpage=leaders&year=1994 |title=AFL Arena Football History - Year By Year - 1994 |publisher=ArenaFan.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}}

=Las Vegas Sting=

1995 saw his first full season in the AFL with the Las Vegas Sting, during which he led the league in scoring for kickers with 120 points, a then-league-record field goal percentage at 71.4 (20 of 28), field goals made (20), extra point percentage (91 percent), and longest field goal (61 yards against the Miami Hooters). He was named Micatin Arena League Kicker of the Year and Second-team All-Arena for his season.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=yearly&histleague=1&fpage=leaders&year=1995 |title=AFL Arena Football History - Year By Year - 1995 |publisher=ArenaFan.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.luckyshow.org/football/field%20goals%20of%2060%20yards%20or%20more.htm |title=A list of All Players with Field Goals of 60 yards or more in the History of (American) Football |publisher=Luckyshow.org |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}}

=Anaheim Piranhas=

Howfield joined the AFL's Anaheim Piranhas in 1996, where he went 21 for 43 (48.8%) in field goals and 63 for 73 (86.3%) in extra points. In 1996, he led the league in field goals made with 21 and was second in FG percentage at 48.8.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=yearly&histleague=1&fpage=leaders&year=1996 |title=AFL Arena Football History - Year By Year - 1996 |publisher=ArenaFan.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}} The following year, he had a league-best 21 field goals made with a 47.7 conversion percentage, along with 62 for 74 on extra points.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=yearly&histleague=1&fpage=leaders&year=1997 |title=AFL Arena Football History - Year By Year - 1997 |publisher=ArenaFan.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}} Howfield was in a life-threatening car accident that cut his career short at the end of the 1997 season in Las Vegas. He received two disk fusions in his lower back and an entire right knee cartilage replacement, and was out of football for five years recovering from the injuries (1998 to 2002).{{cite web |url=http://thefootballcube.com/statistics/2003/NYD.shtml |title=2003 New York Dragons Statistics |publisher=The Football Cube |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830210046/http://thefootballcube.com/statistics/2003/NYD.shtml |archive-date=August 30, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

{{cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/ny5/dragonsny/historystats.htm |title=Dragons Single Season Records |publisher=Angelfire.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}}

=Tampa Bay Storm (first stint)=

Howfield made an AFL comeback in 2003, signing with the Tampa Bay Storm on February 22, 2003.{{cite web | url=https://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=transactions&type=old&team=12 | title=Historical Team Transactions | publisher=ArenaFan.com | accessdate=20 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2003/03/02/news_pf/Sports/Howfield_relishes_lat.shtml |title=Sports: Howfield relishes latest chance |publisher=Sptimes.com |date=March 2, 2003 |access-date=August 13, 2011}} In his first game back from the car accident, he made all three field goals.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores103/103054/20030223ARENAGRNDRAPIDS0nr.htm |title=Arena Football League - Tampa Bay vs. Grand |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=February 23, 2003 |access-date=August 13, 2011}} He was released by the Storm on April 8, 2003.

=New York Dragons=

Howfield was signed by the New York Dragons of the AFL on April 17, 2003, and concluded the season with a league-best 66.6 conversion percentage (10 of 15), followed by a 31-yard game winner in the playoffs as time expired to advance to the quarterfinals.{{cite web | url=https://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=transactions&type=old&team=72 | title=Historical Team Transactions | publisher=ArenaFan.com | accessdate=20 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=yearly&histleague=1&fpage=leaders&year=2003 |title=AFL Arena Football History - Year By Year - 2003 |publisher=ArenaFan.com |date= |access-date=August 13, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/05/26/dragons-recover-to-knock-rush-out/ |title=Dragons recover to knock Rush out - Chicago Tribune |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=May 26, 2003 |access-date=August 13, 2011}}

=Tampa Bay Storm (second stint)=

Howfield signed with the Storm again on November 6, 2003. He played in three games for the Storm during the 2004 season before being released on February 26, 2004.

=Las Vegas Gladiators=

Howfield signed with the AFL's Las Vegas Gladiators on April 4, 2004, as an emergency kicker.{{cite web | url=https://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=transactions&type=old&team=102 | title=Historical Team Transactions | publisher=ArenaFan.com | accessdate=20 May 2025}} He played in one game for the Gladiators before being released on April 5, 2004.