Football player Terrance Howard, 19, who had previously walked on at Alabama, passed away on Thursday as a result of injuries he received in an automobile accident last month.
According to Howard’s family members, the Missouri City, Texas native was involved in a small accident along I-85 in Salisbury, North Carolina. But as Howard got out of his car to examine the damage, a passing car struck him, severely injuring his brain.
Before being declared dead on Thursday, Howard spent a few days in the care of a nearby hospital. In a series of videos that his father shared on Facebook on Thursday, he accused the hospital of malpractice.
After redshirting in 2023 and seeing no action as a walk-on freshman this past season, Howard played two seasons at Alabama. Following Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer paid a quick homage to Howard at the start of his press conference on Sunday.
“I do want to send along thoughts and prayers,” DeBoer stated. “Terrance Howard, who was with us and transferred on to North Carolina Central. He did pass away and he’s got some guys that are here on this team that are close to him and are also thinking about him but I just want to send prayers and thoughts up to his family.”
The 5’11 cornerback only got a chance to play varsity football for Ridge Point High School as a senior, but he was raised in the epicenter of high school football in America. But in his one and only season playing 6-A Texas football, Howard was outstanding, recording 41 tackles, eight interceptions, and a selection for the All-District team.
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“I just recently saw him. I think that is probably the more realistic or the part that hurts because he was just there, and it felt like there were positive signs,” Ridge Point coach Rick LaFavers stated about Howard. “He had so much in front of him, and he was such a competitor. Everybody loved him.”
“I remember practice because he played corner and in the competitive drills if he’d get beat he’d be like go again, let’s go again.” LaFavers stated. “I just remember his smile. He came to my office to the coach’s office and gave me a hug and he went and talked to the team.”
After graduating in 2022, Howard ultimately agreed to take a walk-on position at Alabama, where he also competed for the Crimson Tide in track and field. In 2023, he placed 20th individually at the Joe Walker Invitational, setting a personal best time of 50.64 seconds. In the same year, he had just one appearance on the 4×400 relay team, placing sixth.
On his way to the North Carolina Central University training camp, where he had transferred before the 2024 season, Howard stopped in Salisbury.
The historically black college, which had finished 9-3 and shared the MEAC title the previous season, awarded him a full scholarship to play.
