Published: August 12, 2009 11:30 pm      

Stephens-Howling returning to Heinz Field as a Cardinal

LaRod Stephens-Howling’s NFL career will kick off in the very same stadium his college career did: At Heinz Field.

The former Greater Johnstown High School and Pitt standout will suit up for the Arizona Cardinals tonight when they play the Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason game that is a rematch of February’s Super Bowl.

Stephens-Howling, a diminutive running back known for his fancy footwork, danced around the question of who he was pulling for the last time the teams met.

“I’m not going to declare who I was rooting for in the Super Bowl,” he said with a laugh, although a previous statement seemed to give away his allegiance.

“Of course being in Johnstown, you have to root for the Steelers, but I didn’t really have a pro team,” Stephens-Howling said.

He does now.

A seventh-round pick by the Cardinals, Stephens-Howling is fighting for a roster spot, and a strong performance against the Steelers could go a long way toward helping that cause.

Listed at 5 feet 7 inches and 180 pounds, Stephens-Howling would seem to be a long shot to make it in the NFL, but he’s pleased with how camp in Flagstaff, Ariz., has been going thus far.

He was hampered by a left hamstring injury during the Cardinals’ organized team activities, but has been healthy for camp. In fact, he said the physical aspect of the NFL hasn’t been a problem.

“The biggest difference is staying on top of things mentally,” he said. “It’s the same football game you’ve been playing. Physically we’ve probably done more in college to drain you, but you have to be on top of your playbook.”

The Cardinals have a prolific passing game, with two-time league MVP Kurt Warner throwing to former Pitt star Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. They ranked second in the NFL last season, averaging 292.1 passing yards per game. But Arizona was last in the 32-team league in rushing at 73.6 yards per game.

In an effort to bolster the running game the Cardinals drafted Chris “Beanie” Wells in the first round. But Wells sprained his ankle in his first practice on Aug. 1 and has not played since.

That has opened up playing time for second-year running back Tim Hightower and Stephens-Howling. Chris Vincent and Jason Wright are the only other running backs on the Arizona roster.

“I’ve been getting a lot of reps,” Stephens-Howling said on Monday. ”I didn’t start out getting a lot, but the last week and a half I’ve been getting more and more. I’m just working to get as many as I can.”

He’s also found a mentor in Hightower.

“He was a rookie last year, and he knows what I’m going through right now,” Stephens-Howling said. “He’s taken me under his wing on and off field. We’ve gone to church together and things like that.”

While Stephens-Howling hopes to see some time in the backfield against the Steelers, it’s his ability to play special teams that likely will be the key to whether or not he is with the Cardinals when the regular season opens on Sept. 13 against San Francisco.

Stephens-Howling said he has been playing on every special teams unit but field-goal kicking. He has been working out as a return man on kicks and punts and as a gunner on the punt coverage unit.

“The more you can do, the better chance you have, so I’m down with anything they have me doing,” Stephens-Howling said. “Anything to get me on the field, just like my situation at Pitt. Of course, I like having the ball in my hand, but I’ll do anything I can do.”

And just like when he was at Pitt, Stephens-Howling expects plenty of supporters from Johnstown to be in the seats at Heinz Field.

“It’s real exciting,” he said. “I can’t wait for it. It finally hit me that I’m here. I’m fighting for a job in the pros and I’m playing against the Steelers.”