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Rice University Athletics
Rice Remembers Bill Howton
8/8/2025 9:12:00 PM | Football
Former All-American and NFL Record-Holder
Former Rice All-American wide receiver Bill Howton, who scored the first touchdown at Rice Stadium and held all of the Owls' receiving records before moving on to the NFL where he retired as the league's career leader in receptions and yards, passed away on Monday in Houston at age 95.
Howton was an understudy to Rice All-American Froggy Williams in 1949 as a sophomore and then made an immediate impact when he took over as the Owls' feature receiver the following year. In the opening minutes of the Owls' first game at Rice Stadium, he connected with Vernon Glass on a 68-yard touchdown pass to score the first points in the stadium's history. Seven years later, as a member of the Green Bay Packers, Howton scored the first receiving touchdown at Lambeau Field.
He earned All-American honors as a senior in 1951, and his seven touchdown receptions that season set a school record that stood for 25 years.
As a rookie with Green Bay in 1952, Howton set an NFL rookie record with 13 touchdown receptions, a record that was not broken until 1998. He twice led the NFL in receiving yards (1952 & 1957) and led the league in touchdown receptions in 1956. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and twice named first-team All-Pro.
He played for the Packers from 1952-58, and Cleveland the following season, before becoming an original member of the expansion Dallas Cowboys in 1960, where he remained until he retired in 1963.
Howton retired as the NFL career leader with 503 receptions and 8,459 yards.
While still active as a player, Howton became active in the newly-created NFL Players Association and served as the organization's first President from 1958-61.
Howton was inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1974.
Howton was an understudy to Rice All-American Froggy Williams in 1949 as a sophomore and then made an immediate impact when he took over as the Owls' feature receiver the following year. In the opening minutes of the Owls' first game at Rice Stadium, he connected with Vernon Glass on a 68-yard touchdown pass to score the first points in the stadium's history. Seven years later, as a member of the Green Bay Packers, Howton scored the first receiving touchdown at Lambeau Field.
He earned All-American honors as a senior in 1951, and his seven touchdown receptions that season set a school record that stood for 25 years.
As a rookie with Green Bay in 1952, Howton set an NFL rookie record with 13 touchdown receptions, a record that was not broken until 1998. He twice led the NFL in receiving yards (1952 & 1957) and led the league in touchdown receptions in 1956. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and twice named first-team All-Pro.
He played for the Packers from 1952-58, and Cleveland the following season, before becoming an original member of the expansion Dallas Cowboys in 1960, where he remained until he retired in 1963.
Howton retired as the NFL career leader with 503 receptions and 8,459 yards.
While still active as a player, Howton became active in the newly-created NFL Players Association and served as the organization's first President from 1958-61.
Howton was inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1974.
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