Football players are tough, and Ohio State quarterback Will Howard is no exception, especially as he pushed through playing in the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Texas on Friday night with a giant knot on his hand.
During the Cotton Bowl matchup with the two teams playing for a chance to play Notre Dame in the national championship game, folks watching the game noticed something peculiar with Howard’s left hand during the first half.
While it’s unclear exactly what happened to Howard — who is right-handed — it seems likely that he took a particularly unique hit or contact to his left hand, which evolved into a huge knot. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported on the broadcast that it’s about the size of a golf ball.
That's a big knot on the left hand of Ohio State QB Will Howard. #CFP pic.twitter.com/F55vvt8IxF
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 11, 2025
Yikes. That’s awfully gnarly looking, but it apparently wasn’t bad enough to keep Howard from playing