Former Houston Texans QB Brock Osweiler says goodbye to NFL
Remember that time in 2016 when the Houston Texans signed a 6-7 quarterback to lead the way? Well, he retired from the NFL on Wednesday.
At one time, Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien thought Brock Osweiler was the answer at quarterback for the franchise. After one season, it was evident that Osweiler wasn’t able to be “the guy” in Houston as his tenure lasted only 17 games, including two playoff games.
In the playoffs, Osweiler went 1-1 in the postseason and 9-7 in 16 total starts for the Texans, with eight regular-season wins as the starting quarterback.
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Osweiler completed 59 percent of his passes in his regular-season games with the Texans, totaling 2,957 yards with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2016. He averaged 5.8 yards per completion and was sacked 27 times in the ’16 regular season. Also during the ’16 season, Osweiler rushed for 131 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns and five fumbles, losing one.
In his two playoff games with the Texans, Osweiler was a part of the win against the Oakland Raiders, as he was 14-of-25 for 168 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. That game, he also rushed for 15 yards with one touchdown and one fumble on six carries, as the Texans won by a 27-14 score.
Then came the game where the Texans lost in the divisional round where he went 23-of-40 for 197 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. He was also sacked three times. Osweiler also rushed one time for 18 yards in the 34-16 loss.
Even though the Texans made the playoffs the lone season Osweiler was the starting quarterback, the Texans made the correct decision when trading him when they did, drafting Deshaun Watson in 2017, and now Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL.
Remember when Osweiler signed with the Texans (leaving the Denver Broncos) it was a $72 million contract for four years, and in that contract he was guaranteed $37 million.
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In a 2017 article by John Breech of CBS Sports, he wrote the following on when the Texans traded Osweiler to the Cleveland Browns and then the Browns released him. When the Texans traded Osweiler to Cleveland, they also sent a second-round pick to the Browns in the deal.
"“The Osweiler experiment in Houston ended up being such a disaster that the Texans traded him away after just one season with the team. In one of the most shocking trades in recent NFL history, the Texans basically paid the Browns a premium draft pick to take Osweiler and his contract off their hands.”"
Looking back, it wasn’t the best of times with Osweiler and O’Brien for the Texans. Even though the Texans were a playoff team that season, Osweiler wasn’t a fit with the franchise and the system of O’Brien.
Osweiler’s best passing yardage game with the Texans was in Week 6 of ’17 when he passed for 269 yards (25-of-39) with two touchdowns and one interception in a 26-23 win against the Indianapolis Colts.
Losing Osweiler forced the Texans to trade up in the ’17 NFL Draft and select Watson, so maybe the Texans should be thankful things weren’t better, as Watson has become one of the best quarterbacks in all of the NFL.
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What are your thoughts about Osweiler’s one year with the Texans? Let us know.