Derek Stingley Jr. needs only three words to react to Dino Vasso's contract extension

The Houston Texans may have fallen short of their goal to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history this season, but the team still managed to come away with a win on Super Bowl Sunday, if you can believe it. No, this win didn't come on the gridiron, but it's one that could very well impact Houston's ability to win at a high level next year and beyond.

After being considered a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals' vacant defensive coordinator position, Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso opted to remain in Houston, signing a contract extension with the franchise he joined ahead of the 2021 season. In addition to Arizona, there was also reported interest in Vasso in Las Vegas, Cleveland and Tennessee during the earliest stages of the 2026 coaching carousel.

Vasso's return to Houston is a far bigger win than the casual football fan would lead you to believe. The Texans will obviously benefit from not having to replace a valuable coach who not only has a Super Bowl win on his resume, but also has a proven track record of getting the most out of his players. You could make the case that the Texans secondary is the strength of its defense, and that's a unit that Vasso has been instrumental in developing over the last five seasons.

It's also noteworthy because by all accounts, Dino Vasso is beloved and well-respected by the players he coaches in Houston. One of those players, All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., even took to Twitter to deliver a message of support -- or maybe it was relief, or perhaps excitement -- regarding Vasso's return to Houston.

This simple three-word message is not just a testament of the admiration that Vasso has earned from his players... it's the mindset that he's attempted to instill in those very same players from the moment that they arrive in Houston, greeting them with a mantra that claims, "The man can't beat you. Only the ball can."

The Texans defense is one that has big goals. Goals to be the greatest unit ever. To be the group that facilitates Houston's first trip to the Super Bowl. And maintaining Dino Vasso undoubtedly gets them closer to reaching those goals.