The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Former UAB Stars Have Standout Week in NFL
11/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two former UAB stars in Chicago’s Jordan Howard and Arizona’s J.J. Nelson had career performances in Week 8 of the NFL.
Howard made Bears history when he became the first Chicago rookie to gain over 200 yards from scrimmage since Gale Sayers in 1965.
In leading Chicago to a 20-10 victory over Minnesota on Monday Night Football, Howard ran for a career-best 153 yards and a touchdown, and added 49 receiving yards against the NFL’s top ranked defense. His 153 rushing yards were the most by a Bears running back since 2011 and his 69-yard run in the first quarter was the longest by a Bears running back since 2009.
“I’ve been impressed with him from the onset,” said Chicago head coach John Fox. “He’s a rookie running back that has grown pretty fast. He’s been thrown into the fire. He’s stepped up when we’ve needed him, and he’s done that every time we’ve called on him.”
Howard is the Bears leading rusher and now ranks 15th overall in the NFL with 505 rushing yards.
Meanwhile in Carolina, Nelson had eight catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns as he looked dynamic and explosive. Serving as a backup in the beginning of the season, head coach Bruce Arians made it clear that is no longer the case.
“J.J. didn’t step in,” Arians said. “That’s his job right now and somebody is going to have to take it from him.”
Howard and Nelson rewrote the UAB record book in 2014. Howard set the Blazers’ single season record for rushing yards (1,587), rushing attempts (306) and rushing touchdowns (13).
Nelson, a First Team All-America performer in 2014, led the nation in kickoff return average (38.3) and touchdowns (4), both of which were school records. He also set the school record for kickoff return yards in a single season (843), and the single-game record with 196 vs. WKU.
Photo credit courtesy of the NFL, Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals.
