In eight years as a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, Xavien Howard played under five different defensive coordinators as he established himself as a top cornerback in the NFL.
Now, as he enters his ninth season in the league, Howard finds himself under yet another defensive coordinator – the difference is, he knows this one.
The Colts signed Howard on Monday, bringing in a veteran to aid a cornerback room currently riddled with injuries. In doing so, the Colts also reunited Howard with his first-ever NFL position coach: Lou Anarumo.
Anarumo, whose first job in the NFL was as the Dolphins’ defensive backs coach, was part of the staff that scouted Howard prior to the 2016 NFL Draft, and he coached Howard for the first two years of the cornerback’s NFL career.
“The one thing about him that always jumped off the tape to me when he was at Baylor, the reason he was drafted so high, is he can go get the ball,” Anarumo said Monday. “And he’s proven that throughout his NFL career, that he’s been an elite interceptor.”
Over the course of 100 games played, Howard has tallied 95 passes defensed, 29 interceptions, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and two sacks. In 2018 and 2020, he led the league in interceptions with seven and 10 interceptions, respectively, and was a first-team All-Pro in 2020. Howard is also a four-time Pro-Bowler (2018, 2020-22). Since entering the league in 2016, he ranks in the top five in interceptions (tied for second) and passes defensed (tied for fifth).
In 2023, Howard registered 45 tackles, 12 passes defensed and one interception through 12 games before sustaining a foot injury. Howard missed the rest of the 2023 season and was not signed by a team in 2024, but that doesn’t mean the Colts are anticipating any problems with the 32-year-old Howard getting back into football shape.
“We’ve seen him move a little bit, looks good,” Anarumo said. “And I just feel good about the athlete that he is. And maybe you could look at it as his legs got a year off to rest. So one thing I know is his ball skills and those things, they don’t go away with time, and he still has those.”