The following year big things were expected from Howard, but in a 1976 preseason game against the Denver Broncos, he severely injured his right knee while running a reverse. He spent the rest of the season rehabilitating the knee, only to be injured again during a veteran's orientation session in the 1977 training camp, causing him to miss the entire season. For Super Bowl XII he served the Cowboys in a scouting role since he was still trying to recover from his injury. He was released by Dallas before the 1978 season and claimed by the Green Bay Packers, but failed his physical with the Packers as his knee had never fully recovered.