The Houston Texans have finally announced their team captains for the 2026 season. Per the team's official X account, they stamped the following players as having earned the prestigious designation for this upcoming campaign:
- Azeez Al-Shaair, linebacker, four-time captain (Tennessee Titans + Texans)
- C.J. Stroud, quarterback, four-time captain
- Will Anderson Jr., defensive end, four-time captain
- Jalen Pitre, safety, two-time captain
As has been the case throughout the offseason, the Texans can't announce anything involving Stroud without it coming with a spectrum of both positive and negative commentaries on his performance. However, to be fair to the rest of the team, this is about celebrating the leadership of the whole as opposed to being overly-fixated on the few.
With that said, each captain from the announcement has demonstrated the kind and excellence--both on and off the field of play--that would warrant this level of trust and confidence on the part of Houston's coaching staff (and organization as a whole.
The Houston Texans have finally announced their captains for 2026, of which all are deserving in their own way
Azeez Al-Shaair, four-time captain (third in Houston)
Fresh off of the first Pro Bowl season of his career, Al-Shaair has become one of the most essential pieces to the overall success of Houston's prolific defense. Whether in how he helps coordinate his teammates as the "quarterback" of his respective side of the football at linebacker, or in just the overall tenacity and impact with which he plays with, Al-Shaair is a shining example of the kind of player that head coach DeMeco Ryans would trust the most in that position.
C.J. Stroud, four-time captain (all with Houston)
Even while being announced as a team captain for the fourth consecutive season, Stroud simply can't catch a break from skeptics looking for any reason to downplay his accomplishments. Fortunately for him, it's the organization and his teammates who have the most say on what his reputation is within the walls of Reliant Stadium. There's a reason why his franchise has stood ten toes down with defending his overall character and football reputation throughout the offseason, and a team captain announcement will definitely not be where they deviate.
He's primed to have one of the best seasons of his career, and his team fully trusts him as one of the leaders of the ship. Even without mass amounts of support from outsiders, Stroud is cemented as one of the most trusted figures in that building. Full stop.
Will Anderson Jr., four-time captain (all with Houston)
Arguably the most important player on the defense--if not the team as a whole--Anderson has firmly established himself as one of the best pure football players in the entire NFL. He's coming off of a runner-up finish for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a second consecutive double-digit sack season, his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection, a First-Team All-Pro nod, a 12th spot on the NFL's Top 100 list (for whatever that's worth) and a brand new three-year, $150 million contract that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the time of signing.
At this point, being named captain is a mere formality for the former Alabama Crimson Tide stalwart.
Jalen Pitre, two-time captain (all with Houston)
Pitre's selection might be a bit of a surprise for some, considering the plethora of secondary talent that Houston has to choose from at the moment. However, for me personally, Pitre represents the kind of "heart and soul" presence that any team values tremendously once they recognize it within their midst. He hits hard, is a virtual swiss army knife (defensive back and pseudo linebacker) and represents the team and his city well as a type of ambassador to the community in various outreach endeavors.
While he may not have the All-Pro's that others do, Pitre more than makes up for it by being of Ryan's most trusted weapons on his defense.
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