Howard vows to stay humble, hungry
NFL’s highest-paid CB won’t let big contract affect his approach to game
DAVIE — As Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard begins working with the team for the first time since signing his record-breaking extension, he is set on remaining humble and hungry.
As the Dolphins ran their second organized team activity practice Tuesday, Howard vowed to maintain the same approach that earned him the $75.25 million deal that will keep him in Miami for the next six seasons.
“That’s my attitude. That’s the type of guy I am,” said Howard, whose new contract surpassed the $75 million deal the Washington Redskins gave Josh Norman in 2016.
“You don’t see me out here bragging about doing anything. I’m just here. I’m the same player.”
Howard had 11 interceptions and 25 pass deflections for the Dolphins the past two seasons, including a league-leading seven interceptions in 2018.
Howard’s humility was evident when answering a reporter’s question about what he would buy with his new riches. Egging him on to say something like a watch or a car, Howard simply replied: “I’m going to save it.”
Howard’s extension, which will keep him with the Dolphins through 2024 if the franchise opts into each of the final three years of the deal, will also net him nearly $14 million more than he would’ve made in 2019 due to a pair of bonuses, according to figures provided to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Davie.
“My agent took care of the business,” said Howard, who made it a point on Tuesday to discuss his salary as little as possible. “It’s just a blessing being in the situation I’m in right now.
“Right now, I’m just focused on getting better each year. I’m just happy to be here.”
While Howard’s on-field success came while playing for former coach Adam Gase, new coach Brian Flores has taken notice of the intangibles such as his leadership qualities.
“Xavien is obviously a very good player,” Flores said last week. “He’s a leader in the locker room. He does a lot of the things that are core to what we see moving forward and we’re excited to keep him and have him here for a while.”
And Howard has his attitude set on how he wants to carry on that leadership as he enters his fourth NFL season.
“I want to communicate with new guys coming in,” he said. “I’m really a guy that doesn’t talk a lot. I want to lead by example.”
Leading by example has already left an impression with newcomers such as fellow cornerback Eric Rowe, who said he was taking first-team reps opposite of Howard early in OTAs.
“Working with him, I see how hard he works off the field, on the field, his behavior — that’s the key to being a great player,” said Rowe, who came over from the New England Patriots and has expanded on what he previously knew about Howard.
“From afar, I heard he was getting a lot of picks.”
In his first OTAs since signing his lucrative extension, Howard is looking to take the right approach early on to make sure he continues to be that player worthy of being the league’s highest-paid cornerback.