ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) Desmond Howard still hears teammates calling him "Heisman," more than 10 years after he struck the famous pose.

"It happens from time to time," he said.

Howard said his days of striking the Heisman pose are in the past, but he's still a threat when he touches the ball. Howard, who won Heisman Trophy with Michigan in 1991, said he has found a second home where he feels comfortable ending his career.

The Cleveland native and NFL journeyman signed a four-year contract last year with the Lions to return kickoffs and punt returns.

After all, that's what made Howard famous.

In 1991, Howard returned a punt 93-yards for a touchdown against rival Ohio State. In the end zone, he posed like the figure atop the Heisman Trophy.

Returning a 99-yard kickoff for a touchdown for the Green Bay Packers in the 1997 Super Bowl helped Howard earn Super Bowl MVP honors. He became the first special teams player to win the award, and just the fourth player ever to win both the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP.

"It was really a surreal experience," Howard said. "It doesn't get any better than that professionally. I would love to see someone like Shakespeare go through it and describe it, because I sure can't."

Just hours after he first signed with the Lions in 1999, Howard returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. The victim this time was the Washington Redskins, who chose Howard as the fourth overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. Howard played for Jacksonville, Green Bay and Oakland before landing in Detroit.

"Any way I can get my hands on the ball, I'm happy," Howard said.

The Lions coaching staff feels the same way.

"We all believe that every time he touches the ball, he's a threat to go all the way," Lions special teams coach Chuck Priefer said. "He's quick, but he's never been a great speed guy. He's got great vision, he's tough, he's smart and uses his blockers really well."

Howard has given the Lions another dimension on special teams they haven't had since Mel Gray returned kicks in the early 90s. Howard was a Pro-Bowler in 2001 and an alternate last season.

Howard also can line up in the slot and contribute in the Lions' West Coast offense.

That's good, because each of the three projected starters at wide receiver has had injury trouble.

Germane Crowell is on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from knee surgeries. And free agents Az-Zahir Hakim and Bill Schroeder have both had nagging injuries. Hakim is back practicing following a hamstring injury and Schroeder sat out his second straight practice Monday with a pulled groin.

"I think the offensive guys have him in their plans - I know he's in our plans on special teams," Priefer said.

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