Howard Emmett Lepper was a professional football player, as well as the manager, for the Buffalo All-Americans. Aside from playing football in Buffalo, Lepper also helped start the team in 1917, when they were called the Buffalo All-Stars, Niagaras and Prospects. All of the early press announcements regarding the Buffalo team, referred to Lepper as the team’s manager. Around 1917, Lepper and Frank McNeil signed a lease for the team to play their home games at Canisius College.