There was a time, not all that long ago, when those of you wanting to catch a Houston Texans game could have done so for less than the cost of a hamburger at an upscale restaurant. Back in the eras of David Culley and Love Smith as the team's head coach, the "get in" price for some of the games against fellow low tier teams was maybe 15 bucks, 20 bucks.
Thankfully, those days are over, and while the Texans and NRG Stadium certainly don't command the top tier prices that teams like Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City do on game day, it is a more expensive endeavor now to hit up a Texans home game.
The schedule, of course, was released last Wednesday, so as expected, many Texans season ticket holders have begun fishing around to see what they can command for tickets to a Texans home game. If you're of mind to be hitting a game this season, here are the "get in the stadium" prices for all nine home games, in ascending order (courtesy of the Gametime app):
**WEEK 15 - December 14, vs Arizona Cardinals, Noon
GET IN PRICE: $71+**Typically, the three games against divisional opponents are the cheapest ones, because (a) there is very little novelty, since the Texans play them twice each season, and (b) those other three teams in the division are not very good. Somehow, though, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have found a way to be less attractive than the Colts, Jaguars, and Titans. Not easy to do!
WEEK 4 — September 23, vs Tennessee Titans, Noon
GET IN PRICE: $74+
WEEK 10 - November 9, vs Jacksonville Jaguars, Noon
GET IN PRICE: $80+
WEEK 18 - Date TBD, vs Indianapolis Colts, Time TBD
GET IN PRICE: $82+
And there are your three division games, each at a reasonable (but as mentioned earlier, WAY more expensive than three years ago) average cost of around 80 bucks apiece. The Colts game should be, and is, the most expensive. since it could be for the divisional crown.
**WEEK 16 - December 21, vs Las Vegas Raiders, 3:25 p.m.
GET IN PRICE: $108+**The Raiders are a much sneakier team now than they were heading into this offseason. The trade for QB Geno Smith makes them more competitive, and they also employ my bet for Offensive Rookie of the Year, scintillating running back Ashton Jeanty.
**WEEK 2 — September 15, vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6 p.m. (Monday Night Football)
GET IN PRICE: $113+**Now, we start together to get into some fun games. I was surprised that the home opener, on Monday Night Football no less, was this far down the list. When these two teams faced off at NRG Stadium back in 2023, it was one of the most exciting games of the season, and no doubt the best individual performance of C.J. Stroud's career, as he threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns. This game could have similar offensive fireworks.
**WEEK 9 - November 2, vs Denver Broncos, Noon
GET IN PRICE: $139+**Like Arizona and Tampa Bay, Denver is yet another team from the 2023 home schedule that returns to NRG Stadium. Also, like both of them, this is a rematch of a game that came down to the waning moments, with Jimmie Ward intercepting Russell Wilson to seal the deal. Now, here comes Bo Nix as Broncos QB, in his second season, but actually older than Stroud. The coaching matchup in this one is fantastic, with DeMeco Ryans against Sean Payton.
**WEEK 12 - November 20, Buffalo Bills, 7:15 p.m. (Thursday Night Football)
GET IN PRICE: $190+**This game would have been my guess for the most expensive ticket, as it secured that honor last season. Like many of these opponents that the Texans have seen in the last two years, these two teams played a nail biter last season, won by Ka'imi Fairbairn on a 59 yard field goal at the gun. The Bills are on the short list of favorites to make the Super Bowl this season, so on a Thursday night, this is a big stage.
**WEEK 8 - October 26, vs San Francisco 49ers, Noon
GET IN PRICE: $237+**Finally, here we are! It is, somewhat surprisingly, the 49ers, coming off a disappointing 6-11 season who take top billing. It will cost you a minimum of $237 to get into the stadium in Week 8. Why is the price for this game so high? Well, for one, the Niners only play here once every eight seasons, so there is a built in scarcity. Second, there are a ton of California transplants in our fair city, in case you hadn't noticed. Finally, Inner fans travel really well. This is a deserving marquee matchup atop this list.
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