Getty Image / Ron Jenkins
NFL quarterbacks are a strange breed, and all of them have one interesting quirk or another. And, for Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, his quirk is strange eating habits.
And, with the Commanders taking on the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, a day known for eating copious amounts of various foods, his eating habits are back in the news.
Flash back to 2020, during Howell’s second year as the starter at UNC, when a local news article about Howell’s diet went viral. Here’s an excerpt.
“Adherence to a proper diet is another key element of being an elite athlete. Howell is strict in that regard too, but not necessarily because he’s trying to take care of his body (of course he is), but much more because he may just be the pickiest eater in college football.
We learned this Wednesday courtesy of the Orange Bowl’s virtual luncheon, which featured a taped interview segment with Sam and teammates Jeremiah Gemmel and Javonte Williams.
In the interview, Howell revealed that since childhood, he has only ever eaten chicken. Mostly nuggets and tenders. That’s fine for a 4-year-old, but so far into adulthood, Howell has seen no need to deviate. He won’t get anywhere near seafood and — read carefully here — claims to have never had a bite of steak or even so much as a hamburger.”
That’s right. Sam Howell is the anti-Jim Harbaugh, who once claimed he doesn’t eat chicken because it’s a “nervous bird. Sam Howell only eats chicken.
Or so we thought. While the quarterback still doesn’t eat beef, CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson can report that his palate has expanded.
"He told us while he doesn't eat seafood, he doesn't eat steak, he doesn't eat burgers, he does eat turkey."- Tracy Wolfson on Commanders QB Sam Howell pic.twitter.com/AvRcsN7ABg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 23, 2023
What a strange guy.