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One day after his defensive coordinator expressed unwavering belief in Xavien Howard, the veteran corner has decided to call it a career.
The Colts placed Howard, 32, on the reserve/retired list Wednesday.
Howard spent the vast majority of his career in Miami, earning four Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro honors (one first team, one second team) over eight seasons with the Dolphins before spending the entire 2024 season out of football. He returned to the NFL in 2025 with the Colts, joining Lou Anarumo’s defense and working his way into a starting job.
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In recent weeks, however, Howard’s play became a problem for Indianapolis’ defense. Opposing teams picked on the veteran, targeting him as the nearest defender 20 times and enjoying a completion percentage of 70 and a passer rating of 131.9 when throwing in his direction, per Next Gen Stats. On those targets, Howard surrendered receptions for a total of 183 yards and two touchdowns. His targeted EPA (expected points added) was the fifth-worst among all corners in the NFL at 14.3.