All Tar Heels

UNC Football Great Pays No Heed to Historic Numbers Through 11 Starts

UNC football legend Sam Howell continues to amaze others (not so much himself) with his lofty stats.

Matt Giles

Former UNC football quarterback Sam Howell (Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)
In this story:

Second-year Washington Commanders signal-caller Sam Howell is a rising star in the NFL. The former UNC football sensation, a fifth-round pick in 2022 who started one game as a rookie before becoming a full-time starter this year, is posting a combination of numbers that no other NFL quarterbacks in history have matched through their first 11 games.

RELATED: Former Tar Heel Has Career Day in Commanders Loss

According to the franchise's public relations team, the 23-year-old from Waynesville, N.C., is the only one to have thrown for over 2,900 yards and rushed for over 200 more while connecting on better than 65.0 percent of pass attempts in such an opening stretch to an NFL career.

Beyond that history-making tidbit, Howell's 2,783 passing yards this season currently stand as the most among all NFL quarterbacks, regardless of experience in the league. He's also thrown 17 touchdowns to only nine interceptions.

That's all quite impressive for a guy his age on a squad with a losing record.

On that note, though, UNC football's record-holder in TDs (109) and passing yards (10,283) sounds far more concerned with tallying wins than all those unmatched individual marks.

"Honestly, I don't really look at it a whole lot," Howell told the media this week about his league-leading passing yards. "It doesn't really mean much to me...I look more into what we're doing as a team and just how I can improve for this football team and how I can put this football team in better chances to win football games."

Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders (4-6), third in the NFC East and ninth in the NFC, host the New York Giants (2-8) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Then, they must quickly prepare for a road trip to face the Dallas Cowboys (6-3) at 4:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Tar Heels Add Promising Piece to 2025 Recruiting Haul

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC football news.

Published
Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

Home/Football