Why did CJ Stroud skip handshake with Desmond Howard? Beef between football stars explained

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud may have just induced the Buckeyes' rivalry with the Michigan Wolverines. While it was USC quarterback Caleb Williams who won the Heisman, it was the exchange, or lack thereof, between the two that had everyone talking.

The Heisman nominee was brought up on stage and as he shook hands with other former winners of the coveted award, he passed right over Michigan alum Desmond Howard.

Howard won the Heisman in 1991 as a senior wide receiver for the Wolverines. But it wasn't just the fact that the two played for rival universities, it dates back to an incident that occurred between the two at last year's awards ceremony.

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

In 2021, Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was being interviewed and mentioned defeating Ohio State. Another former Heisman winner, Tim Tebow, said that he was glad that then-Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett was in between the two. Howard then added that Pickett was better than Stroud's offensive line at Ohio State.

As a college football analyst for ESPN, Desmond Howard has been critical of the way the Buckeyes quarterback played. He has even said that he didn't believe that Stroud should be nominated for the Heisman Trophy. All of this apparently led to the contentious behavior between the two.

Howard turned away as the quarterback approached the stage on Saturday night. The Ohio State quarterback only shook two others' hands as he made his way up on stage.

Will QB CJ Stroud get drafted in 2023?

The 2022 season was the second season that the quarterback was the starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The redshirt junior has been highly scouted all season long as he led the Buckeyes to victories in some close games down the stretch this past season.

The only blemish for Ohio State in 2022 was the loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the final game of the season. This cost Ohio State a chance to play for the Big Ten Championship.

Despite that, the quarterback is still considered not only a first-round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but perhaps even one of the first two quarterbacks drafted.

Stroud and Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young, who won the Heisman in 2021, are expected to be the first two chosen.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

Know More

Georgia Bulldogs Fan? Check out the latest Georgia Bulldogs depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place!

Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann