Late in Super Bowl X, Howard got a rare opportunity to play on offense, when Richards broke a rib. With the Pittsburgh Steelers leading by 11 points with less than two minutes to go, Howard caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach over Mel Blount, cutting the deficit to four points. A late turnover by the Steelers gave the Cowboys a shot to win the game at the end, and Howard was again involved on a last-second Hail Mary pass by Staubach, but he had three Steelers on him and when he leaped to make the catch, the ball was tipped away. His Super Bowl touchdown made him the second rookie ever to score a Super Bowl touchdown after Duane Thomas in Super Bowl V.