The Houston Texans have morphed from one of the worst teams in the NFL to one of the most polarizing organizations in the NFL seemingly overnight.
After winning just three games in 2022 and four games in both 2021 and 2020, the Texans made the decision to bring in former 49ers defensive coordinator Demeco Ryans as their head coach ahead of last season. Ryans was once a star linebacker for the Texans and was widely regarded as one of the top coaching candidates of last year’s cycle.
While many people in NFL circles believed Ryans was the perfect coach to turn the culture around in Houston, nobody could have predicted how quickly the narrative around the Texans would change.
Last season, the Houston Texans — led by rookie CJ Stroud at QB — finished the regular season with a (10-7) record and handled the Cleveland Browns with ease in the Wildcard Round of the NFL playoffs with a dominating 45-14 win.Stroud has already solidified himself as the next great QB in the AFC. The former Ohio State signal caller was named Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, finishing the year with 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, just five interceptions and a QB rating of 100.3.
Defensively, the Texans showed flashes of building a dominant unit under Ryans, who specializes on that side of the ball. They finished the year with the No. 6 rushing defense and the No. 14 defense in the NFL overall, allowing just over 330 yards per game.
Heading into 2024, the Houston Texans are now legitimate contenders to compete for a Super Bowl in the AFC. They made several moves in free agency to bolster an already talented roster.
On the defensive side of the ball, Houston added one of the top pass rushers available to compliment Will Anderson, inking former Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter to a two-year deal with $48 million guaranteed. Hunter is coming off a season with 16 sacks and has four Pro Bowls on his resume. He’s joining a Texans defense that set a franchise record in sacks last season with 46.
While Houston already had an explosive offense, they signed Joe Mixon who has proved himself as a reliable running back who can play on all downs if needed. But the Texans weren’t done and made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by trading for Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs, who has posted four-straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards.
Diggs now joins a potent group of pass catchers in Houston with Tank Dell, Nico Collins and tight end Dalton Schultz, who the organization awarded with a contract extension after a stellar campaign in 2023.
It’s easy to see why Houston is considered a legitimate threat in the ultra-competitive AFC in 2024.
JJ Watt Would Only Come Out Of Retirement If Demeco Ryans And The Houston Texans Needed Help To Make A Run At A Super Bowl
JJ Watt is one of the most iconic players in Texans history.
After finishing his career with the Arizona Cardinals, Watt officially retired and has found a post-playing career in television, working as a studio analyst for CBS.
At his annual charity softball game on Saturday, Watt confirmed that he is in fact still retired but made it clear he would only consider coming back if Demeco Ryans and the Houston Texans absolutely needed him.
“I had 12 great years in this league and I’m very thankful to walk away healthy. I told (Texans head coach) DeMeco (Ryans) last year. I said, ‘Don’t call unless you absolutely need it. But if you ever do call I’ll be there.’ This is the last year I’ll tell him that, because I’m not gonna keep training the way I’ve been training.”
On a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee show, Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio hinted at a possible JJ Watt reunion with his former team.
“It’s very early, it’s May, the season doesn’t start until September and then you’ll look at players the end of October, November case by case. Between him and Brady, we’ll see who jumps back in first
It certainly feels like a long shot, but Watt is obviously leaving the door open to return to the NFL if the Texans give him a call.