UNC Football: Another Big-Time Honor for Young NFL Tar Heel

Not only is Sam Howell set to be a Week 1 starter in the NFL, but the recent UNC football star is also already a captain.

Three weeks ago, Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera named UNC football great Sam Howell his Week 1 starter at quarterback. And now, as the Commanders gear up for that 1 p.m. ET Sunday matchup against the visiting Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field, the second-year NFL Tar Heel also wears the "captain" tag.

The team announced that additional responsibility for the mere 22-year-old signal-caller this week. Howell is one of only two offensive captains for Washington, joining wide receiver Terry McLaurin; the four other captains are defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, cornerback Kendall Fuller, safety Jeremy Reaves, and punter Tress Way.

Considering his Week 1 starting nod from Rivera and the fact that his teammates were the ones who voted him a captain, it's evident that Sam Howell has the respect of the Commanders' locker room and staff.

"He's taken the bull by the horns," McLaurin said about Howell, "and he's really led us a lot this offseason."

Howell, who had to wait until the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft to hear his name despite being a two-time All-ACC selection and the 2019 ACC Rookie of the Year, spent most of his first season in the league as a backup to now-free agent Carson Wentz.

However, when Washington was officially out of the playoff picture in the last week of the season, Howell drew the start. He tallied 169 yards through the air on 11-for-19 passing, 35 rushing yards on five carries, two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing), and only one interception in a 26-6 home win over the rival Dallas Cowboys.

It's worth noting the Cowboys were still fighting for playoff positioning and did not rest their starters in that game.

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