Nov 23, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans fans cheer during the game with turkey hats against the Cincinnati Bengals at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The 2015 NFL offseason marked the departure of wide receiver Andre Johnson from the Houston Texans. He ended his Texans career with over 13,000 receiving yards, as the teams most prolific offensive player, and was labeled by many as the best Texan of all time.
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To be fair, the Texans are the NFL team with the least history, as they’ve only been in existence since 2002. However, in their 12 year history, Houston has seen some excellent players, and I decided to take a look at my list of the top 5 Texans of all time on the offensive side of the ball.
Number 5
Oct 9, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; General view of the goal posts with the NFL pink breast cancer awareness logo before the game between the Indianapolis Colts against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kris Brown – Kicker – 2002-2009
The kicker may not be the flashiest player on the field, but to leave Kris Brown off the list would be a crime. He’s the Texans leading scorer by almost 300 points, and was a consistent fixture through most of the team’s first decade.
When Brown was replaced in 2010 in favor of kicker Neil Rackers, he was the last remaining player of the inaugural 2002 Houston Texans football team.
With the team’s many struggles on the offensive side of the ball over the years, the team knew they had a solid starting kicker who would be sure to get them a few points every game.
Next: Number 4
Number 4
Dec 29, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) scrambles out of pocket against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at LP Field. The Titans won 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Schaub – Quarterback 2007-2013
This may be a bit of an unpopular pick, as Schaub’s name is often the punchline of jokes about the NFL’s worst quarterbacks these days. His historic 2013 collapse is what keeps him from being higher on this list, but overall his time with the Texans was positive.
In his 7 year career with the Texans, Schaub managed three seasons with over 4,000 passing yards, and was selected to the Pro-Bowl twice, winning the Pro Bowl MVP in 2009.
He’s the Texans all time leader in career wins, passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass attempts, and pass completions. Schaub also lead Houston to five of the six best seasons the franchise has seen.
This included a 2011 seasons in which the team started out 7-3 under Schaub, and had Super Bowl aspirations, before the quarterback was injured in week 10, and forced to miss the rest of the season. Houston finished the regular season 3-3 that year, and lost to the Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Under Schaub the Texans reached the peak of their performance to this point, and managed to become a competitive team in the league. His success also helped to propel the careers of several of the offensive weapons around him.
Next: Number 3
Number 3
Nov 24, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans tackle Duane Brown (76) warms up before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Duane Brown – Tackle – 2008-Present
Duane Brown has been the centerpiece of Houston’s offensive line for many years, even if he actually plays out on the edge. As the 26th overall pick in 2008, Brown has certainly lived up to his high draft position.
He’s started 106 games in his 7 year career, missing a total of only six games in the entire time he’s been in the league. His durability, versatility, and reliability have been crucial to any offensive success Houston has had in recent years.
He helped protect Matt Schaub during his league-leading passing season, and just as easily powered running back Arian Foster to his league-leading rushing season. Brown was also selected for back-to-back-to-back Pro-Bowls from 2012-2014 and was First-Team All Pro in 2012, and second team in 2011.
His contribution to the team is harder to quantify than that of many of the offensive players around him, but nobody can deny it. Brown’s contract will keep him around until 2018, and he looks to be a key leader and dominant force on the Texans line until then.
Next: Number 2
Number 2
Dec 14, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans runningback Arian Foster (23) rushes the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
Arian Foster – Running Back – 2009-Present
Arian Foster is easily the best running back to play for the Texans, and is arguably one of the best in the league over the last several seasons. He also will go down as one of the best underrated players to ever play in the NFL.
After going underrated in 2009 and spending most of the season bouncing between Houston’s roster and their practice squad, Foster really exploded at the start of 2010. He kicked off the 2010 season with an opening day performance against the Indianapolis Colts featuring 33 carriers for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns. This single performance was the most rushing yards by any Texans player in a game, the most the Colts had ever given up, and the second most by any player ever on opening day.
In 2010 Foster lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, set the record for most yards from scrimmage by an underrated player, and received the Pro Football Writers Association’s “Most Improved Player” award. He was selected to the Pro-Bowl from 2012-2014, and was a First-Team All Pro player in 2010 and 2011.
Though Foster has often been plagued with injuries, he’s been one of the highlights for the Texans in the last four years, and is deserving of a top spot on the list of their best offensive stars. His talent and leadership have been crucial to Houston’s success in recent years, and looks to play a part in their future.
He’s also quite popular among the fans, having the 19th highest jersey sales totals for the 2013-14 season. He’s well-known for his use of social media, and stays in touch with his fans, often being open and honest, and willing to answer questions.
Next: Number 1
Number 1
Dec 28, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson (80) scores a touchdown against Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Dwayne Gratz (27) during the game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Andre Johnson – WR – 2003-2015
For me, this one was a no-brainer. Andre Johnson was the star of the Houston Texans for most of their existence, and while his departure still stings, his legacy is very important to the team.
Listing all of Johnson’s accolades, awards, and records would be exhausting, but he has been one of the NFL’s top receivers for many years. He’s a 7 time Pro-Bowler, 2 time First-Team All Pro player, 2 time NFL receiving yards leader, and ranks 9th all time in receptions and 13th all time in yards in the NFL.
Johnson will go down as one of Houston’s most successful draft picks (no. 3 overall in 2003), and one of the team’s best overall players. Few players have had as much success with a single team as Johnson has. In fact only Jerry Rice (49ers), Isaac Bruce (Rams), Marvin Harrison (Colts), and Reggie Wayne (Colts) have had more yards with a single team than Johnson had with the Texans.
Johnson’s big games, ridiculous catches, and spectacular stats could fill up an entire page, but I think his impact on the team cannot be displayed on paper, but instead is evidenced through the way he helped to develop the team into something much greater than it was when he joined.
The Texans may not have the most storied history in the league, but these five players are, in my opinion, the greatest to ever line up for the team on the offensive side of the field. Hopefully some current players will soon become worthy of being added to this list, and Houston can richen it’s legacy even more.