NFL Team by Team Guide: Houston Texans
The Texans are the NFL’s youngest franchise having been founded in 1999. The team first began play in the NFL in 2002. The Texans replaced the city’s former team, the Oilers, which had moved to Tennessee. The team struggled in its first decade of play before finally winning a division championship in 2011 and securing the franchise’s first playoff berth.
In 2000, the franchise announced the selection of its nickname. The name “Texans” had been used by a now-defunct San Antonio team in the Canadian Football League and a former World Football League team in Houston. The old Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City to become the Chiefs. Before taking the name “Texans,” Houston owner Bob McNair got permission from Chiefs’ owner Lamar Hunt to use the name.
Texans games are broadcast regionally on CBS with national games on ESPN, NBC, and FOX Sports in addition to CBS. Fans can watch the complete Houston schedule through a live streaming service like HULU, fuboTV, or CBS All-Access. The Texans have had some recent success and, as a result, have been played on Thursday Night Football and Sunday Night Football.
Home of the Texans
The Texans have had just one home since their inception. Now called NRG Stadium, the home of the Texans was built as Reliant Stadium, a multipurpose facility in the city of Houston. NRG Stadium is one of the larger venues in the NFL with a seating capacity of 72,220 for Texans home games.
Championship History
As mentioned, the Texans were not very successful in their first decade in the league. Houston won its first AFC South Division championship in 2011 and followed that up with another title in 2012. In total, Houston has won six – 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019 – division titles.
Those division crowns represent the Texans only appearances in the NFL playoffs. Houston has won four NFL playoff games but has never advanced to an AFC championship game.
Best of the Texans
J.J. Watt was the Texans’ first pick (No. 11 overall) in the 2011 NFL draft. He burst onto the scene quickly in 2012 when he recorded 20.5 sacks on his way to his first NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. Two years later, Watt would become the first player in NFL history to have multiple 20-plus seasons. He had 20.5 in 2014 and 17.5 in 2015 and won two more Defensive Player of the Year awards. Watt is a five-time Pro Bowl pick and a five-time first-team All-Pro (2012-15, 2018).
Wide receiver Andre Johnson was the Texans first pick in the 2003 draft. He played 12 seasons with the Texans and ranks in the top-15 in NFL history in career receptions and receiving yards. Johnson was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and was a first- or second-team All-Pro five times. Twice, Johnson led the NFL in receptions (2006, 2008) and receiving yards (2008, 2009). He had a career-high 115 catches in 2008 and a career-best 1,598 receiving yards in 2012.
Arian Foster is Houston’s all-time leading rusher with 6,472 yards. He had 1,000 yards or more in four of his seven seasons in Houston and led the NFL in 2010 with 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2010. Foster was an undrafted free agent who made the Pro Bowl four times, was a two-time All-Pro, and led the league in rushing touchdowns twice (2010, 2012).
Author: Dan Anderson