In eight years as a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, Xavien Howard played under five different defensive coordinators as he established himself as a top cornerback in the NFL.
Now, as he enters his ninth season in the league, Howard finds himself under yet another defensive coordinator – the difference is, he knows this one.
The Colts signed Howard on Monday, bringing in a veteran to aid a cornerback room currently riddled with injuries. In doing so, the Colts also reunited Howard with his first-ever NFL position coach: Lou Anarumo.
Anarumo, whose first job in the NFL was as the Dolphins' defensive backs coach, was part of the staff that scouted Howard prior to the 2016 NFL Draft, and he coached Howard for the first two years of the cornerback's NFL career.
"The one thing about him that always jumped off the tape to me when he was at Baylor, the reason he was drafted so high, is he can go get the ball," Anarumo said Monday. "And he's proven that throughout his NFL career, that he's been an elite interceptor."
Over the course of 100 games played, Howard has tallied 95 passes defensed, 29 interceptions, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and two sacks. In 2018 and 2020, he led the league in interceptions with seven and 10 interceptions, respectively, and was a first-team All-Pro in 2020. Howard is also a four-time Pro-Bowler (2018, 2020-22). Since entering the league in 2016, he ranks in the top five in interceptions (tied for second) and passes defensed (tied for fifth).
In 2023, Howard registered 45 tackles, 12 passes defensed and one interception through 12 games before sustaining a foot injury. Howard missed the rest of the 2023 season and was not signed by a team in 2024, but that doesn't mean the Colts are anticipating any problems with the 32-year-old Howard getting back into football shape.
"We've seen him move a little bit, looks good," Anarumo said. "And I just feel good about the athlete that he is. And maybe you could look at it as his legs got a year off to rest. So one thing I know is his ball skills and those things, they don't go away with time, and he still has those."
The Colts over the last few weeks have had to deal with the blows of multiple cornerbacks sustaining injuries, as Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents sustained hamstring injuries early in training camp and 2025 third-round pick Justin Walley tore his ACL in joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens and will miss the entire season. Kenny Moore II has also missed time with a knee injury and 2025 undrafted free agent Johnathan Edwards left Saturday's game with a concussion.
Howard, already with the advantage of being an eight-year veteran, is also one of two men currently on the Colts roster who has experience playing under Anarumo, as linebacker Joe Bachie was with Anarumo for four years in Cincinnati. For a secondary still learning Anarumo's play style, not to mention being forced to adjust to injury after injury, Howard's history with Anarumo and experience playing under multiple coordinators could quickly come in handy.
"He's played a lot of football, he's played in a lot of systems over the course of his career," Anarumo said. "So while we may call it a little bit something different than what he's used to, he'll just equate to the things he knows. And I don't think there's going to be anything where it's like 'Ok, this is totally different.' I think he'll pick it up pretty quick."
