Howell enters his 25th season with the Colts and his first as sr. head strength and conditioning coach. He previously served as head strength and conditioning coach for the last six years (2018-23). Howell was the team's assistant strength and conditioning coach for 18 seasons (2000-2017).
He assists in all aspects of the club's conditioning program. Howell helped implement a new strength and conditioning program during the 2018 offseason that focused on designing specific nutritional and workout programs for each individual player on the roster to maximize their performance while maintaining year-round health. The program took nutrition and body composition down to an applicable level and is based on what players do at their position.
Howell helped Indianapolis reach the playoffs in 2018 and 2020.
In 2018, he was part of a Colts team that finished with a 10-6 regular season record, won in the AFC Wild Card Round and had an appearance in the AFC Divisional Round. Indianapolis became the third team in NFL history to start a season 1-5 and make the playoffs. Additionally, the Colts were the second team in NFL history to start a season 1-5 and win a playoff game. Indianapolis has reached the playoffs 14 times during Howell's tenure on staff.
In 2012, Howell helped install a new strength and conditioning program, which assisted the Colts to three consecutive 11-5 records and playoff berths (2012-14), including the AFC South Division Title in 2013 and 2014.
While with the Colts, he has also assisted in coordinating player development programs (2009-2011), one of which was honored by the NFL in 2009 as the league's Outstanding Financial Education Program.
Howell previously served as a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina in the strength and conditioning department (1998-99) and was the head strength and conditioning coach for the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe in 1999.
He started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Davidson College from 1994-98 and spent the summer of 1997 as an intern in the Carolina Panthers scouting department.
Howell was a quarterback at Davidson (1990-93) and was the team captain as a senior. Upon graduation, he held five school records and finished his senior season ranked fourth nationally in scoring for Division I-AA football. Howell played one season for Akersberga in Sweden. He holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Davidson.
Howell is a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a certified member of Functional Movement Systems. He and his wife, Karen, have three children, Alexis, Jacob and Joshua.
1994-1998 | Davidson | Assistant Coach
1998-1999 | North Carolina | Graduate Assistant
1999 | Barcelona Dragons | Strength and Conditioning
2000-2017 | Indianapolis Colts | Assistant Strength and Conditioning
2018-2023 | Indianapolis Colts | Head Strength and Conditioning
2024 | Indianapolis Colts | Sr. Head Strength and Conditioning
