All-Time NFL Players From Acadiana: Howie Ferguson

A number of people have represented the Acadiana area in the National Football League.

All summer long, we’re going to spotlight the fantastic athletes from the area, people that were actually born in one of the Acadiana parishes, that went on to play football at the highest level, the NFL.

Yesterday, we profiled Opelousas native Tom Dimmick.

Today, we spotlight Howard "Howie" Ferguson.

As far as we can tell, Ferguson was the third person who was born in the Acadiana area that went on to play in the NFL.

Born on August, 1930, in New Iberia, Ferguson went to high school at New Iberia Senior High School, where he participated in football, basketball, baseball, and boxing.

After high school, Ferguson enrolled in the Navy, where a scout for the Los Angeles Rams saw him playing football, and was impressed enough that he signed him.

Later released by the Rams in 1952, Ferguson signed with the Green Bay Packers in 1953.

A 6-foot-2, 218-pound running back/fullback, Ferguson made his NFL debut in 1953, at the age of 23, playing in 11 games for the Packers, rushing for 134 yards.

The next season, in 1954, Ferguson rushed for 256 yards, before the best season of his career, in 1955, when he tallied 859 ruing yards, to go along with 4 touchdowns.

A Pro Bowl honoree in 1955, Ferguson compiled over 1,000 total yards.

Ferguson went on to play three more seasons for the Packers, prior to retiring following the 1958 campaign.

After a season away from the game, Ferguson made a brief comeback in 1960, playing for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League, where he rushed for 438 yards and four scores.

The versatile Ferguson gained 2,120 yards rushing and 1,079 yards receiving with the Packers between 1953 and 1958.

He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1974.

Ferguson passed away in 2005, at the age of 75, and was laid to rest in New Iberia.