LaRod Stephens-Howling life and biography

LaRod Stephens-Howling is an American football running back and kickoff returner for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.

Pro Career:
Selected by the Cardinals with their first pick in the seventh round (240th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft, appeared in all 16 games and both postseason contests during his rookie campaign, starting two games during the regular season.

2009: Appeared in all 16 regular season games with two starts and also saw action in both postseason contests … in first career game led the Cardinals with two special teams tackles vs. SF (9/13) … for second straight week led team with three special teams tackles @ Jax (9/20) … registered first career TD on a 14-yard reception from Kurt Warner and also recorded a 53-yard kickoff return while averaging 31.5 yards on four returns vs. Car (11/1) … registered a five-yard run and two special teams tackles @ Chi (11/8) … recorded a 99-yard kickoff return for a TD and downed punts at the five, two and one-yard lines @ Ten (11/29); marked first kickoff return for a TD of his career … totaled a career-high three receptions for 23 yards @ SF (12/14) … made a couple of game changing plays: recovered a muffed punt on the Det 13-yard line that led to a TD to go up 7-0 and then after the Lions tied the game at 24 with under four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the AZ 42-yard line to set up a short field that AZ converted into the game winning TD @ Det (12/20) … contributed in many ways, registering a career-long 18-yard run, hauling in three receptions for 19 yards, totaling 85 yards on four kickoff returns and tying for the team-lead with two special teams tackles in the Wild Card matchup vs. GB (1/10/10) … recorded postseason-highs by averaging 27.8 yards on five kickoff returns with a postseason long of 32 yards and registered two carries for four yards in the Divisional game @ NO (1/16/10).

College: In four seasons at Pittsburgh, had 1,959 yards rushing and 15 TDs on 429 attempts … a solid receiver out of the backfield, he added 52 receptions for 453 yards and a TD … most productive season at Pitt came in 2006 when he rushed for 893 yards and nine TDs on 178 carries and added 19 receptions for 231 yards and a TD … as a senior, appeared in all 13 games as a reserve at tailback and also contributed on special teams … rushed for 312 yards on 77 carries (4.1 avg.) with five TDs and added 493 yards on 23 kick returns (21.4 avg.) ... had 109 receiving yards on 11 receptions (9.9 avg.) and recorded nine special teams tackles … appeared in 11 games with two starts as a junior ... rushed for 320 yards on 78 carries (4.1 avg.) with one TD ... as a kick returner, averaged 20 yards on five attempts for the season … paced Pitt with 893 rushing yards on 178 attempts (5.0 avg.) as a sophomore ... finished fourth in the Big East in rushing (81.2 yards/game) and all-purpose yards (105.0 yards/game) ... played in and started 11 games ... named to the Big East All-Academic Football Team … led Pitt in rushing with 434 yards on 96 carries (4.5 avg.) in nine games as a true freshman ... also contributed as a kick returner and had five returns for 151 yards (30.2 avg.) and a 95-yard TD.

Personal:
Full name LaRod E. Stephens-Howling … two-time member of the Associated Press Pennsylvania Class AAA All-State first-team at Greater Johnstown (PA) High School … in three varsity seasons, rushed for a school record 4,597 yards, averaging 8.9 yards per carry … broke the 29-year-old career rushing record of 3,552 yards set by former Pitt RB Artrell Hawkins, Sr. … rushed for 57 TDs during his career … as a senior, led the Johnstown area with 1,875 yards rushing and 32 TDs … led Greater Johnstown to its first-ever District 6 Class AAA title and a 9-3 record … in his junior year, set the school single-season rushing record with 2,226 yards and his rushing total set a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference (LHAC) record … also a standout in baseball, track and wrestling … a member of National Honor’s Society, Who’s Who Among American High School Students and the Minority Scholars Club.