Sam Howell began his NFL career in the same division as the team he grew up rooting for, the Dallas Cowboys. He made his NFL debut and threw his first pass against the very franchise he once admired. Now, things have come full circle, as Howell joins the same team where he once watched quarterbacks like Tony Romo and Dak Prescott, hoping to help change its trajectory.

“My dad grew up a big Cowboys fan. He said when you were growing up you were either kind of a Cowboys fan or Steelers fan, so I was a Cowboys fan,” Howell said, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Unfortunately not too many good memories when I was growing up. But I was a big fan of the Cowboys.

“I loved Tony Romo. I love watching Romo play. Even when I was in college, watching Dak play. Big fan of Dak and big fan of all the players I watched growing up. Definitely some good memories. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to win it all, but hopefully we can change that.”

Indeed! Born on September 16, 2000, Howell played quarterback at Sun Valley High School under his father, Duke Howell, who served as his offensive coordinator. Like his father, Howell grew up a Cowboys fan before ever stepping into the NFL.

Still, there was always a layer to that fandom. Howell belongs to the generation that watched Tony Romo lead the Cowboys’ offense for years, putting up over 34,000 passing yards with a 65.3 percent completion rate and 248 touchdowns, while making the playoffs six times.

But for all that production, the results never fully matched. The Cowboys did not win an NFC Championship in that span, let alone a Super Bowl. Even with Prescott later taking over, that gap remained. That is the part Howell now hopes to change.

And that makes his journey even more interesting. Howell entered the league with the Washington Commanders after being selected with the 144th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent most of his rookie season on the bench before finally getting his first start in the season finale against Dallas, the same team he grew up supporting.

That debut stood out. Howell completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 26-6 win over Dallas. He also flashed his arm talent with a 52-yard throw to Terry McLaurin, showing exactly why Washington gave him the opportunity.

That performance earned him the starting role in his second season. The flashes were still there, but the results were harder to sustain. By mid-November, Howell led the NFL in passing yards with over 2,700, but he was also on pace to set an unwanted record, taking 40 sacks in the first seven games.

He eventually finished the year with a 4-13 record, which led to his exit from Washington. After short stints with the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles, Howell hit free agency. Now, he returns to the NFC East once again, but this time with the team he grew up watching.

So while he has spoken about Romo’s influence and his desire to shift the Cowboys’ trajectory in 2026, Howell also has something to say about the current QB1 in Dallas, Dak Prescott.

Sam Howell has deep admiration for Dak Prescott

After bouncing around the league over the past few seasons, Sam Howell now finds himself competing for the backup role behind Dak Prescott, alongside Joe Milton. While that battle is still a few months away, the 25-year-old has already made it clear how he views the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.

“I have a lot of respect for Dak,” he said. “He’s been a tremendous player in this league. He’s someone I have a lot of respect for. I love the way he plays the game. I love the way he throws the football, the way he leads this team. He’s a guy I look up to in this league, and I look forward to watching him up close this year.”

Even though Dallas struggled defensively in 2025, Prescott put together one of the most efficient seasons of his career, leading a highly productive offense and even entering the MVP conversation.

The numbers reflect that. Prescott finished the season with 600 pass attempts, 404 completions, 4,552 yards, and 30 touchdowns. He led the league in completions, ranked second in attempts, third in passing yards, and fourth in touchdown passes.

With Will Grier no longer in the picture, the opportunity opened up for Howell to step in alongside Prescott. Now, the focus shifts to what comes next. Whether Howell secures the QB2 role or settles in as a third-string option will ultimately depend on how he performs once the offseason program begins.