Appearing on a Radio Row edition of "The Drive" with Sports Radio 610 co-hosts Clint Stoerner and Ron "The Show" Hughley, Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz gave some insights into the 2025 season.
He went into detail about his comfort level in offensive coordinator Nick Caley's scheme, which to him felt like "home sweet home." He stated, “It’s a new offense but it’s stuff I’ve been doing my whole career. I do feel like I was more ahead of the curve than everybody else. I was like ‘I see the coverage, I know the read, here’s where I’m sitting, ball.’"
Dalton Schultz on @SportsRadio610 w/ @ClintStoerner & @RealRonTHESHOW yesterday on Caley’s offense:
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) February 6, 2026
“It’s a new offense but it’s stuff I’ve been doing my whole career. I do feel like I was ahead of the curve than everybody else. I was like ‘I see the coverage, I know the read,… pic.twitter.com/35BE9H9dFA
His assessment holds weight, considering 2025 was his best season as a Texan, and the second-best of his career next to his breakout 2021 campaign (with the Dallas Cowboys).
This year, Schultz accumulated:
- 17 games played (eighth-straight year playing 11+ games)
- 82 receptions (career high)
- 777 receiving yard (second-best of career)
- 3 touchdowns
He led the team in receptions by 11 (Wide Receiver Nico Collins, 71), had the second-most total yards (777), the second-highest yards per game average (45.7) and the most yards after catch with 358. He also had the second-most first down receptions with 39.
Schultz finished no worse than a third ranking in several significant offensive categories for the team this season. He has been the definition of a "safety blanket" for quarterback C.J. Stroud, as the two have combined for at least 50 catches, 500 yards and two touchdowns since Schultz landed in Houston back in 2023.
During the show, he went on to mention the kind of trust that Stroud had developed in Schultz' reliability on a down-by-down basis, expressing that Stroud "knew where he was going to be." This trust between the two has been key to Houston's regular season success since 2023, which has now seen the club finish with 10 wins or more three times consecutively for the first time in franchise history.
He then addressed the 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional round, saying that he felt as though the game spiraling out of control was "his fault".
"It's hard to pin it all on him as a player. In my eyes, that game is my fault. I left the game in the first quarter. There was a big game plan for me and I wasn't able to be out there.", expressed Schultz.
At 29 years old, Schultz still seems to have plenty of juice left in the tank. However, his 2026 campaign will be the final of a three-year, $36 million extension that he signed in the 2024 offseason.
With that, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach Demeco Ryans will certainly be brainstorming on what to do with the roster after next season.
Will Schultz want to stay in Houston and continue helping Stroud's development? What kind of role will he have next season when young receivers like Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel find more of their professional footing?
No one knows for sure, but Schultz' professionalism and high-football IQ will remain a premium commodity that this team is all the better for having.