Jonathan “Bug” Howard, tight end for the Philadelphia Stars, has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Howard was an outstanding player for the Stars in the USFL, and now takes his talents to the NFL.
Johnathan "Bug" Howard has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per his agent, Lamont Smith. Howard is a tight end who played for the @USFLStars
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 28, 2022
Bug was sensational for Philadelphia in 2022. While serving as a tight end, Howard made a major impact with his hands and route running abilities. His contributions were a key factor in helping the Stars advance to the inaugural USFL Championship.
WIDE OPEN@ThaBugMan with a huge gain
📺: @USA_Network pic.twitter.com/NWmEuLYKEs
— Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars) June 18, 2022
Throughout the season, he put up solid numbers – finishing with 371 receiving yards and four touchdowns. No matter who was in at quarterback, whether it be Case Cookus or Bryan Scott, Howard delivered.
OUR FIRST TOUCHDOWN GOES TO BUG HOWARD 🙌 💪🔥@BryanScottQb ➡️ @ThaBugMan
📺: @USA_Network | #USFLOpeningWeekend pic.twitter.com/r6Q6eAN5dZ
— Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars) April 17, 2022
The USFL isn’t the first spring league Bug has participated in. He was a part of the AAF in 2019 with the Atlanta Legends, and also played in The Spring League for the Alphas.
11/4 @TheSpringLeague #Alphas QB @JT_theQB4th drops back and hits @ThaBugMan deep for the 52 yard TD! Bug Howard has since signed to the @Jaguars Practice Squad #SpringFootballWorks pic.twitter.com/XVJDz08grn
— The Alternate Football Scout (@altfbscout) December 28, 2020
Now, the athlete gets to pursue his NFL dreams with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. If it weren’t for his USFL performances, who knows if that would have been a possibility. You can stay up to date on all USFL to NFL signings with our official tracker.
Did you enjoy watching Bug Howard in the USFL? Do you think he can stick in Tampa Bay? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
