How Jonathan Joseph’s presence impacted the Houston Texans in 2023

The impact of a former Houston Texan loomed large this offseason. Former Texans cornerback Jonathan Joseph was a force to be reckoned with on the field, but it is his presence off of it that has the team ready to rock with the regular season rapidly approaching. 

Joseph was a member of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, allowing him to aid the new Texans coaching staff in preparing the team for the rigors that 2023 will bring. The legendary Texans corner was the exact mentor that this team needed. 

Standout sophomore safety Jalen Pitre made clear earlier this week that the impact of the two-time Pro Bowler helped him in Texans camp. 

“I want to give a shoutout to J-Jo [former Texans cornerback Jonathan Joseph],” Pitre said when asked about who in the secondary challenged him in the film room this offseason. “Real smart guy. I used to sit with him in the meetings when he was here and, you know, he challenged me a lot because he’d talk to me about a lot of different things that I was not used to hearing. Like, stuff that I’d never seen. It was crazy just to hear stuff from a veteran like that.” 

Joseph was an instrumental piece of the Texans secondary from 2011-2019, compiling 17 interceptions, 118 defended passes, and 482 total tackles in 133 games. The former corner was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2011 and made his first of two back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances at the start of his tenure in Houston. 

Veteran mentorship is a key cog of the NFL landscape. The camaraderie between past and present is one that NFL athletes enjoy. For the current players and young guys, this leadership provides immense benefits. Joseph’s contributions to that young Texans secondary is one that will not be quickly forgotten.

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