Star CB shuts door on possible return to Dolphins

His words echo what the 30-year-old said ahead of the release.

“My eight years here, I’ve made the best of it. If this year is the last year and I have to say goodbye to some of the guys here, I understand," Howard said, according to the Palm Beach Post. "It’s a part of the business. No matter where I go, I’m still going to do my thing.”

ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques noted, however, that what Howard said on Thursday was in "very stark contrast" to what general manager Chris Grier recently said.

After being selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Howard put together a stellar career with the Dolphins.

He made all four of his Pro Bowls from 2018-2022, was a first-team All-Pro in 2020 and finished that season third in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting. 

Howard posted career highs in tackles (51), passes defended (20) and interceptions (10) in 2020, with the latter two categories leading the league.

He was limited to 13 games in 2023 and posted 45 tackles, 12 passes defended and one interception.

Despite his individual success, the team only made the playoffs three times during his tenure in Miami and failed to win a postseason contest. They lost in the 2016, 2022 and 2023 wild-card rounds.

Howard recorded interceptions in the 2016 and 2022 playoffs but missed this winter's loss to the Chiefs due to a foot injury.