For the second time in the last few weeks, the Houston Texans will face off against a former teammate. However, the team’s matchup against Deshaun Watson was probably most notable because of how many players and coaches weren’t really around when the quarterback abruptly quit on his team and waited over a year for a trade.
In safety Justin Reid, Sunday’s game adds a real bittersweet feel. That’s especially the case for Houston Texans head coach Lovie Smith, who considers the defender a very good friend. He fought long and hard to keep Reid in Houston once he was named the coach. While he failed in that endeavor, he doesn’t have any hard feelings. In fact he’s quite open about how much he likes the Kansas City Chiefs defender.
"“What I remember is, heck of a football player, smart football player, athletic, loves football. Justin Reid and I will have a lifetime relationship. I consider him a friend too. I know the type of play. I know he’s playing excellent football for them. He can tackle. He checks off all the boxes when you’re looking for a good safety.”"
It’s clear that Smith still wishes the team could have kept Reid around. Of course, it’s not a surprise at all that the safety decided to move on from the Houston Texans. It’s even possible that in the long run, his leaving is better for everyone.
In order to fill his spot on the roster, the Houston Texans drafted Jalen Pitre. The rookie has had a good 2022 overall and he’s only getting better as the season goes on.
Now the Houston Texans will face a game against the Kansas City Chiefs that features the old guard and the new. And Lovie Smith will get to see his friend across the field and try to get a win against him.