Being named a captain in any sport is probably a big deal. I wouldn’t know personally, as I was never a good enough athlete to be in a varsity team, let alone be named a captain. However, it feels like a big deal, with your peers elevating your leadership chops above all others. When your head coach’s nickname, as a player, was “Cap,” like it was for DeMeco Ryans, it probably feels like an even bigger deal.
With that said, the Texans named their third group of captains of the DeMeco Ryans Era on Wednesday afternoon — quarterback C.J. Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, wide receiver Nico Collins, and running back Dare Ogunbowale. Here was the team’s official announcement on social media:
Stamped with a C 🫡 pic.twitter.com/79JJtb7EqI
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 3, 2025
Congratulations to all five guys! I have a few thoughts on this announcement:
Put Stroud and Anderson in ink for the next decade
This is exactly what the Texans had envisioned on draft night in 2023, when they made Stroud the second overall pick and then traded a king’s ransom to move up nine spots to snag Anderson with the third overall pick. These two young men were going to be the foundation, the cornerstones on either side of the football for the next 10 to 15 years. Both won Rookie of the Year for their respective sides of the football in 2023, and both are considered among the top 50 players in the NFL, by vote of their peers. Short of winning more playoff games, this could not be working out any better.
I’m happy for Nico Collins
Collins has quietly evolved into one of the top half dozen or so receivers in the NFL. He doesn’t say much, but he is, by all accounts, one of the hardest workers on the team, and often cited as an example of the Texans’ mantra where “if you do the work, you will be rewarded.” Collins’ three-year, $72 million contract extension kicks in this season, and right now the only thing standing between him and All Pro honors is staying healthy. In 2025, Collins went over the 1,000 yard mark despite missing five full games, and parts of two others.
Dare Ogunbowale is (presumably) repping the special teams
The Texans’ coaching staff and front office think very highly of Ogunbowale, who is heading into his ninth season in the league. He’s bounced around to a few different teams over the course of his career, but it’s wild to think that the first camp he was part of in the NFL was Bill O’Brien’s 2017 training camp at the Greenbrier. The captains typically have a representative for the third phase of the squad, special teams, and given that none of the other four guys play special teams (save Anderson being on the kick block unit), that’s probably the rationale behind Ogunbowale’s selection. For the last decade or so, Jon Weeks would have been that pick. Speaking of which….
I hope things turn out better for this round for captains than last season’s
If you recall, last season, Weeks was one of seven captains named by the team:
Your 2024 Captains 😤 pic.twitter.com/HikCtZaM5O
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 3, 2024
Sadly, the Texans moved on from Weeks, who is heading into his 17th season, after the 2024 season. He signed with the Niners, and we wish him the best. Of the captains from last year, though, Weeks’ ultimate fate is at least better than three of his cohorts. Laremy Tunsil was shipped off to Washington, with hopes that there would be a culture change in the Texans’ offensive line room. Seems strange that a captain would be a culture issue, but whatever. Stefan Diggs tore his ACL, and was spotted in the offseason dishing out some pink powder to some young ladies on a boat party. Finally, Jimmie Ward is still in Houston, but he is rehabbing a foot injury and sorting out an ugly legal situation with the mother of his three-year-old child. Thankfully, Anderson, Stroud, and Al-Shaair are drama free.
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