Billy Howton
Encyclopedia
William Harris "Billy" Howton (born July 5, 1930 in Littlefield, Texas
) is a former American football
end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League
(1952–1963). He played college football
at Rice University
. He caught a total 503 career passes for a total of 8,459 yards. In doing so, he surpassed then leader Don Hutson
to become the all-time leader in receptions and yardage (Since then his ranking has fallen to below 50.) Despite this, he has yet to be name a finalist in Pro Football Hall of Fame
balloting. He retired in 1963 after four years with the Dallas Cowboys
. He caught 13 touchdown passes in his 1952 rookie season. On October 21, 1956, Howton caught seven passes for a total of 257 yards against the Los Angeles Rams
.
where he was a star in football
, basketball
and track and field
.
After high school
, he signed with Rice University
where he developed into a great offensive end, establishing a season record for average yards (22.6) on pass receptions, and finishing his college career with 64 catches for 1,289 yards and 12 touchdown
s.
During that time, he earned the nickname "Red Fox" not only for the color of his hair, but also for the way he ran pass patterns.
He also experienced success in track and field
running the high hurdles
. At the 1948 regional meet in Lubbock, he blazed to a time of 14.3 in the high hurdle
event, setting a record that stood for several decades. In 1951 he won the high hurdle
event in a track meet with the Texas A&M Aggies
. He was also a superior performer in the low hurdles
.
In 1951 among the many honors bestowed upon him were:
In 1971 he was inducted into the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame
in the 2nd round of the 1952 NFL Draft
.
His rookie season was spectacular, earning immediate comparisons with the legendary Don Hutson
, in terms of his speed, hands, and big-play ability. He quickly established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the game leading the NFL in receiving yards with 1,231 yards. He also set a touchdown
record for rookies with 13, which was later broken by Gale Sayers
in 1965
and by Randy Moss
in 1998
in terms of receiving touchdown
s.
Howton became a star and one of the most prolific wide receivers in franchise history, while playing seven seasons on Packer teams that posted a 26-56-2 losing record during his tenure under three head coaches: Gene Ronzani
(1950
-53
), Lisle Blackbourn
(1954
-57
) and Ray McLean
(1958
).
During his seven years in Green Bay, he lead the Packers in receiving for six straight seasons (1952
-57
), led the league in receiving yards 2 times (1952
and 1956
) and touchdown
s receptions once (1956
). He caught 303 passes for 5,581 yards for an 18.4 yard average. Howton scored 43 touchdown
s and earned All-Pro
in two seasons (1956
-57
) and Pro Bowl
honors in four seasons (1952
and 1955
-57
).
Howton also set team records that still stand today:
After the team's worst finish ever - 1-10-1, in 1959
the Packers hired Vince Lombardi
, who traded him to the Cleveland Browns
for defensive end
Bill Quinlan
and halfback
Lew Carpenter
.
Howton became the Packer's player representative and president of the newly formed NFL Players Association in 1958
. He was a vocal leader in establishing a pension fund for players, a hotly debated topic with club owners at the time. Through the years, there has been specultation that this was the real reason for the trade.
, he notified the Browns that he had decided to retire. The Dallas Cowboys
convinced him to play in his home state and traded a future draft choice to the Bowns in exchange for his rights.
in 1960
, which remains the worst season in team history. The Cowboys did get off their losing ways with a 31-31 tie against the NY Giants at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 4, their next-to-last game. A late touchdown
pass from Eddie LeBaron
to Howton finalized the comeback against a Giants team that had made championship game appearances in three of the previous four years.
The first win in franchise history came during the 1961 season
opener over the Pittsburgh Steelers
, 27-24, with Howton contributing a game-high 138 receiving yards and a touchdown
.
During those early years the Cowboys' roster was in a constant state of flux, but he remained an unquestionable starter, a "go to" player and part of the nucleus of a good offense, that was composed by Eddie LeBaron
, Don Meredith
, Don Perkins
, Frank Clarke
, Dick Bielski
and Lee Folkins
.
Howton led the Cowboys in receiving in 1961
(with a career high of 56 catches) and again in 1962
.
His defining moment came on Sept. 29, 1963
, when he etched his name into the NFL record book, eclipsing the record for career reception and receiving yards, passing former Packers legend Don Hutson
's total of 7,991 yards and 488 receptions.
At the end of 12 seasons in the NFL, Howton put up some impressive numbers: 503 catches, 8,459 yards and 61 touchdown
s which may seem average in today's game, but those numbers compare very well against any wide receiver
during that era. It also didn't help that he played for the Packers before the Lombardi era and for the Cowboys before they started their dominant run.
In 1974 he was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame.
Littlefield, Texas
Littlefield is a city in and the county seat of Lamb County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,507 at the 2000 census. It is located in a significant cotton growing region, northwest of Lubbock on the Llano Estacado just south of the beginning of the Texas Panhandle...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(1952–1963). He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
. He caught a total 503 career passes for a total of 8,459 yards. In doing so, he surpassed then leader Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
to become the all-time leader in receptions and yardage (Since then his ranking has fallen to below 50.) Despite this, he has yet to be name a finalist in Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
balloting. He retired in 1963 after four years with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He caught 13 touchdown passes in his 1952 rookie season. On October 21, 1956, Howton caught seven passes for a total of 257 yards against the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.
Early years
He attended Plainview high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
where he was a star in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
.
After high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, he signed with Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
where he developed into a great offensive end, establishing a season record for average yards (22.6) on pass receptions, and finishing his college career with 64 catches for 1,289 yards and 12 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
During that time, he earned the nickname "Red Fox" not only for the color of his hair, but also for the way he ran pass patterns.
He also experienced success in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
running the high hurdles
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
. At the 1948 regional meet in Lubbock, he blazed to a time of 14.3 in the high hurdle
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
event, setting a record that stood for several decades. In 1951 he won the high hurdle
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
event in a track meet with the Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
. He was also a superior performer in the low hurdles
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
.
In 1951 among the many honors bestowed upon him were:
- Named All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
. - Southwest Conference MVP.
- All-SWC team.
- Won the George Martin Award for the second straight year (he also won it in 1950), which is given to Rice’sRice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
most valuable footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. - Played in the East–West Shrine Game.
- Played in the Chicago College All-Star Game.
In 1971 he was inducted into the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers
Howton was drafted by the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the 2nd round of the 1952 NFL Draft
1952 NFL Draft
The 1952 National Football League Draft was held on January 17, 1952. Picks made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:...
.
His rookie season was spectacular, earning immediate comparisons with the legendary Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
, in terms of his speed, hands, and big-play ability. He quickly established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the game leading the NFL in receiving yards with 1,231 yards. He also set a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
record for rookies with 13, which was later broken by Gale Sayers
Gale Sayers
Gale Eugene Sayers also known as "The Kansas Comet", is a former professional football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....
in 1965
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
and by Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
in 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
in terms of receiving touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
Howton became a star and one of the most prolific wide receivers in franchise history, while playing seven seasons on Packer teams that posted a 26-56-2 losing record during his tenure under three head coaches: Gene Ronzani
Gene Ronzani
Gene Ronzani was the second head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He coached the Packers from 1951 until 1953. He resigned with two games remaining in the 1953 season and was replaced on an interim basis by the tandem of Hugh Devore and Ray Scooter McLean....
(1950
1950 NFL season
The 1950 NFL season was the 31st regular season of the National Football League. The merger with the All-America Football Conference expanded the league to 13 teams. Meanwhile, television brought a new era to the game. The Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to have all of its games – both...
-53
1953 NFL season
The 1953 NFL season was the 34th regular season of the National Football League. The names of the American and National conferences were changed to the Eastern and Western conferences....
), Lisle Blackbourn
Lisle Blackbourn
Lisle "Liz" Blackbourn was an American football coach who was the third head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He coached the Packers from 1954 to 1957....
(1954
1954 NFL season
The 1954 NFL season was the 35th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Cleveland Browns defeated the Detroit Lions in the NFL Championship Game.-Major rule changes:...
-57
1957 NFL season
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:...
) and Ray McLean
Ray McLean
Ray "Scooter" McLean was a football player and coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, but may be best remembered for preceding Vince Lombardi as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1958....
(1958
1958 NFL season
The 1958 NFL season was the 39th regular season of the National Football League.The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants, 23–17, in the first sudden-death overtime in an NFL Championship Game...
).
During his seven years in Green Bay, he lead the Packers in receiving for six straight seasons (1952
1952 NFL season
The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, New York Yanks owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL...
-57
1957 NFL season
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:...
), led the league in receiving yards 2 times (1952
1952 NFL season
The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, New York Yanks owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL...
and 1956
1956 NFL season
The 1956 NFL season was the 37th regular season of the National Football League. CBS became the first network to televise some regular season games across the nation...
) and touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s receptions once (1956
1956 NFL season
The 1956 NFL season was the 37th regular season of the National Football League. CBS became the first network to televise some regular season games across the nation...
). He caught 303 passes for 5,581 yards for an 18.4 yard average. Howton scored 43 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and earned All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
in two seasons (1956
1956 NFL season
The 1956 NFL season was the 37th regular season of the National Football League. CBS became the first network to televise some regular season games across the nation...
-57
1957 NFL season
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:...
) and Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
honors in four seasons (1952
1952 NFL season
The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, New York Yanks owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL...
and 1955
1955 NFL season
The 1955 NFL season was the 36th regular season of the National Football League. NBC paid $100,000 to replace DuMont as the national television network for the NFL Championship Game...
-57
1957 NFL season
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:...
).
Howton also set team records that still stand today:
- Most receiving yards by a Packers rookie with 1,231 yards in 19521952 NFL seasonThe 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, New York Yanks owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL...
- Highest yardage game with 257 yards against the Los Angeles Rams in 19561956 NFL seasonThe 1956 NFL season was the 37th regular season of the National Football League. CBS became the first network to televise some regular season games across the nation...
. - Had two 200-plus receiving games - the only Packer receiver aside from Don HutsonDon HutsonDonald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
, with four, to have more than one.
After the team's worst finish ever - 1-10-1, in 1959
1959 NFL season
The 1959 NFL season was the 40th regular season of the National Football League. Tragedy struck as NFL Commissioner Bert Bell died of a heart attack on October 11 at Philadelphia's Franklin Field while watching the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers play...
the Packers hired Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
, who traded him to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Bill Quinlan
Bill Quinlan
William David Quinlan is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and the Washington Redskins. He also played in the Canadian Football League for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
and halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
Lew Carpenter
Lew Carpenter
Lewis Glen "Lew" Carpenter was an American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Arkansas and professionally for ten seasons in the NFL as a halfback and fullback with the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers...
.
Howton became the Packer's player representative and president of the newly formed NFL Players Association in 1958
1958 NFL season
The 1958 NFL season was the 39th regular season of the National Football League.The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants, 23–17, in the first sudden-death overtime in an NFL Championship Game...
. He was a vocal leader in establishing a pension fund for players, a hotly debated topic with club owners at the time. Through the years, there has been specultation that this was the real reason for the trade.
Cleveland Browns
Howton played one season in Cleveland, leading the Browns in receptions with 39, and experiencing what would be the only winning campaign of his pro career. At the start of the 1960 season1960 NFL season
The 1960 NFL season was the 41st regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Pete Rozelle was elected NFL commissioner as a compromise choice on the twenty-third ballot. Meanwhile, the league expanded to 13 teams with the addition of the Dallas Cowboys. Also, the Cardinals...
, he notified the Browns that he had decided to retire. The Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
convinced him to play in his home state and traded a future draft choice to the Bowns in exchange for his rights.
Dallas Cowboys
Howton came to the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in 1960
1960 NFL season
The 1960 NFL season was the 41st regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Pete Rozelle was elected NFL commissioner as a compromise choice on the twenty-third ballot. Meanwhile, the league expanded to 13 teams with the addition of the Dallas Cowboys. Also, the Cardinals...
, which remains the worst season in team history. The Cowboys did get off their losing ways with a 31-31 tie against the NY Giants at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 4, their next-to-last game. A late touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass from Eddie LeBaron
Eddie LeBaron
Edward Wayne LeBaron, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the 1950s and early 1960s in the National Football League.-Early years:LeBaron graduated from Oakdale High School in Oakdale, California....
to Howton finalized the comeback against a Giants team that had made championship game appearances in three of the previous four years.
The first win in franchise history came during the 1961 season
1961 NFL season
The 1961 NFL season was the 42nd regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 14 teams with the addition of the Minnesota Vikings, after the team's owners declined to be charter members of the new American Football League. The schedule was also expanded from 12 games per...
opener over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, 27-24, with Howton contributing a game-high 138 receiving yards and a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
.
During those early years the Cowboys' roster was in a constant state of flux, but he remained an unquestionable starter, a "go to" player and part of the nucleus of a good offense, that was composed by Eddie LeBaron
Eddie LeBaron
Edward Wayne LeBaron, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the 1950s and early 1960s in the National Football League.-Early years:LeBaron graduated from Oakdale High School in Oakdale, California....
, Don Meredith
Don Meredith
Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...
, Don Perkins
Don Perkins
Donald Anthony Perkins is a former American football halfback who spent eight seasons with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.-Early years:...
, Frank Clarke
Franklin Clarke
Franklin Clarke is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys.He was named after Franklin D...
, Dick Bielski
Dick Bielski
Richard Adam Bielski is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and the Baltimore Colts. He played college football at the University of Maryland and was drafted in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft...
and Lee Folkins
Lee Folkins
Lloyd Leroy Folkins is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League from 1961-1965 for the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at the University of Washington and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1961...
.
Howton led the Cowboys in receiving in 1961
1961 NFL season
The 1961 NFL season was the 42nd regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 14 teams with the addition of the Minnesota Vikings, after the team's owners declined to be charter members of the new American Football League. The schedule was also expanded from 12 games per...
(with a career high of 56 catches) and again in 1962
1962 NFL season
The 1962 NFL season was the 43rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, CBS signed a contract with the league to televise all regular-season games for a $4.65 million annual fee....
.
His defining moment came on Sept. 29, 1963
1963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games;...
, when he etched his name into the NFL record book, eclipsing the record for career reception and receiving yards, passing former Packers legend Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
's total of 7,991 yards and 488 receptions.
At the end of 12 seasons in the NFL, Howton put up some impressive numbers: 503 catches, 8,459 yards and 61 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s which may seem average in today's game, but those numbers compare very well against any wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
during that era. It also didn't help that he played for the Packers before the Lombardi era and for the Cowboys before they started their dominant run.
In 1974 he was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame.