Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell has had a topsy-turvy year in his first season as the team’s full-time starter, but he isn’t allowing the uncertainty surrounding his future to affect him.
“I honestly don’t really look at it much,” Howell said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “It really doesn’t mean anything right now and I think what matters is how I play each and every week. Obviously, you can worry all year long about what’s going to happen next year, but for me, I just kind of take the approach of taking it one week at a time and really try to focus in and do everything I can on a week-to-week basis to play my best football.”
Howell was benched in the fourth quarter of the Commanders’ Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but head coach Ron Rivera insisted it was just to protect him.
That didn’t stop people from speculating on Howell’s future under center in Washington. But Howell is choosing not to focus on it.
“Just because obviously there’s a lot of questions about what’s going to happen after this year, but I feel like if I’m playing my best football at a consistent rate, then those questions won’t be there,” he said. “That’s just kind of the way I look at it. I’m just going to try to keep doing what I can to play good football and put good film on tape these last three games.”
Howell went just 11-for-26 with 102 yards, a touchdown and an interception against the Rams. On the season overall, he has thrown for 3,568 yards, 19 touchdowns and a league-worst 15 picks while completing 64.7 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 83.9.
The 23-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of North Carolina, was selected by the Commanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
He made one start during his rookie campaign, going 11-for-19 with 169 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Sam Howell and the Commanders are 4-10 and will head on the road to take on the New York Jets this Sunday. After battling the Jets, Washington will face the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys to close out the regular season.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
