The NFL has been quite influential over the decades, even attracting people from other nationalities, whether it be through immigration or ambition.
So, we not only have Americans in the NFL games but also people from other nations, including South Korea, thanks to the NFL’s initiative to allow players to show their heritage.
Recently, Sam Howell was seen wearing decals with a South Korean flag on it. So, is Sam Howell a Korean, and why does he wear it?
Sam Howell, the former North Carolina and the current Washington Commanders’ quarterback, comes from a Korean heritage as his grandmother, Han, was a South Korean before she died in November 2022. He wears the flag on his helmet to show people how he values his South Korean ancestry.
Sam Howell: Why Does Commanders’ Quarterback Wear a South Korean Flag on His Helmet?
Sam Howell is the rising star from the Washington Commanders who was drafted into the NFL in 2022 during Round 5. Prior to his entry into his current team, he studied in North Carolina and played as a quarterback.
Throughout his college career from 2019 to 2022, Sam Howell played 37 games, passed for a total of 10,283 yards, and scored 92 passing touchdowns with an average rating of 164.2.
As a rookie in the NFL, he’s doing a great job both as a player and human being, showing his love for his heritage by wearing a South Korean flag on his helmet. This begs the question of whether he is a South Korean.
Although he looks like a pure American, Howell has an interesting background related to Korea. Apparently, his grandmother, Han, is a South Korean, and she met Bruce (Howell’s grandfather) when he was stationed in Korea following the war.
Eventually, Howell’s grandparents moved to North Carolina, but Bruce died when Howell’s parents were young, while Han passed away in November 2022. According to Howell, Han used to attend all of his high school and college games.
Unfortunately, she died of old age in 2022, leaving Howell with lots of love and memories. On the official website of Commanders, they posted Sam Howell’s thoughts on his grandmother and South Korean heritage. His statement reads,
“She would always host family, and there were definitely always some Korean dishes there. She watched all of my games all throughout high school, through college. She meant the world to me, still means the world to me.”
“I’m super curious about my Korean heritage, and I think I’m even more curious now that my grandma is gone, because she was the big thing I had connecting me to that, and I always had her to tell me about it. I’m very proud of my background and where I come from, and I just think it’s an awesome part of me that I want people to know about.”
Since the NFL has allowed players to honor their heritage and culture starting this season, Howell decided to wear the South Korean flag on his helmet in order to honor both the country and his grandmother.
Earlier in 2023, Sam Howell signed a deal with Seoul Juice (a South Korean brand) to promote their products, including him gaining a part of their company’s earnings through equity.
Howell had a bad game yesterday against the Cowboys in their recent game, but he can hopefully jump back into form and give his best in the coming matches.
So, what do you think about Howell’s game against the Cowboys? Do you think it was his least decent performance this season?
Source: Commanders
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