Formerly playing for Port Adelaide, which recruited him with pick 56 in the 2014 national draft,[1] he was traded to St Kilda at the end of the 2019 season.

[2] As a teenager he moved to Albury to study at university where he played with the Murray Bushrangers and attracted the interest of AFL scouts.

[4] Howard played only three games until an anterior cruciate ligament injury ended his season prematurely.

[10] Howard played every game in defence in his first season at St Kilda, which ultimately resulted in the club's first finals berth since 2011.

In round 2 of the 2021 season, Howard was one of the best in the Saints' loss to Melbourne, collecting 29 disposals, eight marks, nine intercept possessions, nine rebound 50s, four score involvements and gained 769 metres (most on ground).Howard finished seventh in the Trevor Barker Award in 2021.