Sam Howell: NFL Quarterback Biography, Career, and Stats

Samuel Duke Howell, an American professional football quarterback, has experienced a career defined by both extraordinary promise and significant turbulence. His journey from a prolific collegiate standout to a rapidly traded professional has been a case study in how a player’s on-field performance is perceived and valued by NFL front offices.

At the University of North Carolina (UNC), Howell was an immediate sensation, setting numerous school records and earning a reputation as a highly-touted pro-style quarterback. His pre-draft projections were high, yet his selection in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft was a surprising and telling turn of events.

Howell’s first full season as a starter with the Washington Commanders in 2023 was a paradox of production and liability. He demonstrated the ability to generate high passing yardage, ranking among the league leaders, but simultaneously led the NFL in both interceptions and sacks taken. This duality led to multiple in-game benchings and ultimately resulted in his trade.

In a span of less than a year, Howell was traded three times, moving from the Commanders to the Seattle Seahawks, then to the Minnesota Vikings, and finally to his current team, the Philadelphia Eagles. This series of rapid team transitions reflects a consensus shift in his market value, from a perceived franchise cornerstone to a seasoned, yet lower-cost, backup quarterback with valuable starting experience.

Summary Table

Personal and Biographical Profile

Sam Howell was born on September 16, 2000, in Waynesville, North Carolina, and spent his formative years in Union County, North Carolina. His birth date places his zodiac sign as a Virgo. Physically, he is listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 225 pounds. A notable and unusual detail about his personal life is his diet; he has stated that he has never eaten beef or seafood, with chicken being the sole meat in his diet.

His heritage is a source of great personal pride. Howell is part Korean, a background that comes from his grandmother, Han, a South Korean national who met and married his American grandfather while he was stationed in Korea in 1960.

His grandmother’s story is one of resilience and a strong work ethic, as she successfully ran multiple businesses after immigrating to the United States. While one source suggests his father is half-Korean , a more detailed account specifies that the Korean heritage is from his grandmother, who passed away in November 2022. Following her death, Howell has expressed a deep desire to learn more about his Korean roots.

Howell’s family has been a consistent presence in his football career. His father, Duke Howell, was his offensive coordinator at Sun Valley High School, where he coached his son to a prolific prep career. In a video from December 2018, his father expressed immense pride and excitement for Sam’s college commitment.

A separate source mentioning a “Patricia Howell” as a parent is not corroborated by other, more detailed biographical accounts and is likely a reference to a different individual. Regarding his personal relationships, the available research material does not contain any public information about a girlfriend, wife, or his marital status.

The Collegiate Legacy: Sam Howell at UNC

Sam Howell’s path to the NFL was paved by a dominant high school and college career. At Sun Valley High School in Monroe, North Carolina, he was a standout quarterback who amassed remarkable statistics, throwing for 13,415 yards and 145 touchdowns, while also demonstrating significant rushing ability with 3,621 yards and 60 touchdowns on the ground. As a highly-rated recruit, he initially committed to Florida State but famously flipped his commitment to the University of North Carolina (UNC) after a coaching change.

At UNC, Howell made an immediate impact, becoming the first true freshman in school history to earn the starting quarterback job. He went on to have a record-breaking freshman year in 2019, throwing for 3,641 yards and setting an FBS freshman record with 38 touchdown passes.

Over his three-year collegiate career, he became the Tar Heels’ all-time leader in both career passing yards (10,283) and passing touchdowns (92). His performance was so consistent that he threw at least one touchdown pass in every game he played in college. He graduated in December 2021 and chose to forgo his remaining college eligibility to enter the 2022 NFL draft.

The exceptional statistical production and consistent performance Howell demonstrated in college stand in stark contrast to his NFL draft outcome. Despite common projections of being an early-round pick, he was ultimately selected by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round, 144th overall.

This divergence between his on-field college dominance and his surprising fall in the draft suggests that NFL scouts and analysts may have identified underlying concerns with his game, such as potential physical limitations or an over-reliance on a college-specific offensive scheme, which were not readily apparent in his statistical profile. This pre-professional evaluation foreshadowed the significant challenges he would face transitioning to the professional level.

The NFL Journey: Career and Performance Analysis

Howell’s NFL career officially began on May 6, 2022, when he signed his four-year rookie contract with the Washington Commanders. His rookie season was limited to a single game, the 2022 regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys, after the Commanders had been eliminated from playoff contention. In that game, Howell completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards, threw for one touchdown, and also ran for an additional score, leading the team to a 26-6 victory.

His first full season as a starter in 2023 presented a complex and volatile picture. He beat out veteran Jacoby Brissett for the starting job in training camp and started all 17 games for the team. While he demonstrated a high passing volume, throwing for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns—with his yardage ranking sixth in Commanders history for a single season—these positive statistics were overshadowed by significant liabilities. Howell led the league with 21 interceptions and was sacked a league-high 65 times, highlighting major issues with turnovers and an unstable pocket.

Benched

The mounting pressure and turnovers led to him being benched in the fourth quarter of a Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Rams and again in the third quarter of a Week 16 game against the New York Jets. He was then benched for the Week 17 game, but was re-instated as the starter after Jacoby Brissett suffered a hamstring injury. This series of events illustrates the tenuous nature of his starting position and the on-field struggles that ultimately defined his time in Washington.

Following the 2023 season, Howell’s professional journey entered a period of unprecedented transition. The Commanders underwent a regime change and drafted a new quarterback, leading to Howell’s trade to the Seattle Seahawks on March 14, 2024, to serve as a backup to Geno Smith. He appeared in only two games for the Seahawks, serving his time as a secondary option.

Vikings

His time in Seattle was short-lived. On April 26, 2025, the Vikings traded for Howell to be the assumed backup to J.J. McCarthy. However, reports from Vikings training camp described significant struggles, including an “awful interception” and a brief benching in favor of a third-string quarterback during a preseason game. This poor performance during the offseason seemingly led to his third trade in less than a year. On August 24, 2025, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles’ acquisition of Howell was a calculated move rooted in their firsthand experience of his abilities. The team’s press release noted that Howell had “given the Eagles’ defense fits” in 2023, and they valued his toughness and mobility against their pass rush.

The trade was also a direct response to a finger injury sustained by backup quarterback Tanner McKee, making Howell a valuable “insurance” policy for the Eagles. This series of transactions demonstrates a clear pattern: a player once seen as a potential starter transitioned to a backup role, with his market value plummeting to that of a low-cost, experienced veteran capable of providing depth and stability.

Financial Profile and Market Value

Sam Howell’s professional earnings are tied to his four-year, $4,021,600 rookie contract, which he signed with the Washington Commanders on May 6, 2022. The contract included a signing bonus of $361,600 and a total of $361,600 in guaranteed money. His career earnings from his time with the Commanders and Seahawks amount to $2,921,600 as of the provided information.

As a result of his trades, the financial responsibilities of his contract have shifted between his various teams. While his career earnings are a matter of public record, his overall net worth is not. Publicly available figures regarding net worth are often speculative, as they do not account for private investments, expenses, or other financial variables. The most reliable financial data comes directly from his contract.

Note: The 2025 contract year was traded from the Vikings to the Eagles.

Player Memorabilia and Market Presence

The collectibles market for Sam Howell’s rookie cards is a diverse and telling indicator of his perceived value within the hobby. As a 2022 NFL draft pick, he has rookie cards available from various brands, including Panini Prizm, Panini Select, and Panini Flawless. The value of these cards varies dramatically based on their rarity, condition, and any unique features like autographs or low-numbered prints.

For example, a common, graded rookie card like a 2022 Select Concourse PSA 10 might be valued at approximately $40, while a rare, low-numbered parallel like a 2022 Panini Prizm Gold Shimmer /10, also graded a PSA 10, can be priced as high as $2,290. This wide range reflects the speculative nature of the sports card market, where a player’s future potential and the scarcity of the item dictate its value.

Professional Career Timeline

Direct Query Responses

• How Old Is Sam Howell?

  Sam Howell was born on September 16, 2000, making him 24 years old at the time of this report.

• When was Sam Howell drafted?

  He was drafted by the Washington Commanders on May 6, 2022, as the 144th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

• What team is Sam Howell on?

  As of August 24, 2025, Sam Howell is a quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

• Is Sam Howell Asian?

  Sam Howell is of Korean-American heritage, which stems from his grandmother who was a South Korean national.

• Is Sam Howell Married?

  The provided research material contains no information regarding Sam Howell’s relationship or marital status.

• What happened to Sam Howell?

  Following a turbulent 2023 season with the Commanders, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks. After a brief time there, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, where he struggled in training camp and was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia Eagles as a backup.

Sources Used in This Report

Official Team & League Sources

• Philadelphia Eagles – Sam Howell acquired by Eagles in trade with Vikings

• Minnesota Vikings – Sam Howell Player Profile

• Washington Commanders – Sam Howell reflects on Korean heritage

Player Statistics & Contracts

• Pro-Football-Reference – Sam Howell Stats, Height, Weight, Draft, College

• PlayerProfiler – Contract Stats & Fantasy Ranking

• OverTheCap – Sam Howell Contract Details

• FanDuel Sportsbook – Sam Howell Career Stats

News & Media Coverage

• Sports Illustrated – Eagles Acquire Backup QB Sam Howell in Trade

• Washingtonian – 5 Things to Know About Sam Howell

• Washington Times – Duke Howell Bio, News & Photos

• Heavy Sports – Vikings QB Benched Ahead of Preseason Opener

• Purple PTSD – Sam Howell Didn’t Help His Case Against New England

• Upper Hand Fantasy – Sam Howell Benched in Week 15 Loss

Background & Family

• Tar Heel Times – Sam Howell’s Father on UNC Commitment

• Dignity Memorial – Patricia Howell Obituary

General Information & Community Sources

• Wikipedia – Sam Howell

• Reddit – Sam Howell Traded to Eagles Discussion

• Inspire Legal Group – Sam Howell Bio

Memorabilia & Collectibles

• Commanders Store – Sam Howell 2022 Panini Rookie Card

• Fanatics Collect – 2022 Select Sam Howell Rookie #76 PSA 10