DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans talks with Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales.
The Houston Texans made an aggressive trade to land what they hope is a difference-maker in veteran running back David Montgomery. In his first interaction with the local media, Montgomery offered telling thoughts on C.J. Stroud, his teammates, and the Texans as a whole.
Montgomery’s addition drew split reactions, with a need filled for the Texans, but at the expense of draft capital for a position that has been devalued around the league in terms of veterans.
He is certainly ready to deliver and has already gotten key votes of confidence and support.
David Montgomery Happy to Be in Houston
David Montgomery, Houston Texans
GettyDavid Montgomery #5 of the Detroit Lions celebrates defeating the Los Angeles Rams.
Montgomery believes in Stroud and is ready to help Stroud, head coach DeMeco Ryans, and the Texans.
He said he has had a favorable view of them from the outside looking in.
“You look at the whole organization as a whole, right? I was in Detroit, was a very successful organization, and I practiced against Houston a couple of times. And they’ve always been the hardest team to practice against. So, you can kind of tell the morale, the kind of mentality that both sides of the ball and that Coach Ryans brings to the table,” Montgomery said.
“You also get to look at yourself like, Dang. If I ever had the opportunity, I would love to play for a guy like that.’ And look, I’m here, and now I get to play under a guy like that. And I want to kind of come in and show these guys that I could, kind of, hang with the big dogs.”
Montgomery did not want to dwell too much on the past. However, he thanked Detroit and the Lions for “reviving” his career.
Montgomery and second-year back Woody Marks give the Texans an intriguing new duo.
David Montgomery Gets Honest About C.J. Stroud After Trade to Texans
David Montgomery, Houston Texans
GettyDavid Montgomery #5 of the Detroit Lions warms up before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Montgomery praised Stroud, saying the Texans’ QB is “a dog, he’s cold,” per KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson on March 13.
The former Chicago Bears third-round pick commended Stroud’s resolve.
“Just kind of seeing him progress as a rookie to who he is now, and seeing him having his highs and his lows, and him still being able to come back as somebody who could be mentally relentless and still go to work every day, seeing it from afar, it’s a thing to see. It’s always good to see how people can handle the bad things,” Montgomery told reporters on March 13.
“It’s also super important to see how well people can handle the good things that happen as well. And I think he can handle it all, and that’s somebody I want to play with, be able to go to war with, too. Somebody who’s battle-tested.”
Montgomery joked that speaking about Stroud in that manner made him “sound like an old man.” His point was clear, though.
The comments come amid the most tumultuous offseason yet for Stroud.
The former second-overall pick (2023) is extension-eligible this offseason, but there have been no whispers of the Texans leaning into a new deal for their current franchise QB. Stroud’s fifth-year option looms, with a deadline of May 1 for the Texans to pick it up.
Bringing Montgomery in is a big step in the Texans’ efforts to ensure Stroud is in as good a position as possible.
David Montgomery Getting Warm Welcome
Braden Smith, Houston Texans
GettyBraden Smith #72 of the Indianapolis Colts lines up against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Montgomery said that Stroud reached out to him, but he was not the only Texans player to weigh in on the veteran. New Texans offensive lineman Braden Smith lauded Montgomery’s downhill running style.
“I love that type of mentality and just being able to play with a guy like that,” Smith said, per Wilson in a separate post on X on March 13. “Hopefully I can do my part and just open up holes for him and protecting for C.J. Just playing physical, I think that’s where it all kind of starts and being able to bloody the other guy first.”
Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, joins the Texans with 6,115 yards and 59 touchdowns on 1,477 carries. He also has 231 receptions for 1,890 yards and 4 TDs.
Montgomery vowed to show he is more than a “power back” with the Texans.