In 2024, he continued to rise to the occasion, taking on some of the best receivers in the game. Teams just wouldn't throw at him and those that did, paid a significant price. Since his return to the starting lineup in week 11 against Arizona in 2023, Stingley Jr. 's recorded ten picks in 25 games. He traveled with the best and took on the one-on-one challenge against every #1 WR in the game.
But it was the Dolphins game late in the 2024 season that Stingley Jr. made his biggest proclamation that he was CB1 in the NFL. Throughout the week leading up to the Dolphins game, many wondered whether Coach Ryans would deploy his blanket covering weapon on the Dolphins superstar receiver Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins all-world pass catcher made a habit of destroying the Texans over his years with the Chiefs and the Dolphins. The Texans (and every other NFL team, honestly) just had no answers for the league's twitchiest, and most explosive, superstar pass catcher.
But, the Texans did now and Hill's kryptonite was Derek Stingley Jr.
After the convincing win, the world was all abuzz about the youngster from Baton Rouge. Here was how I described his first of two picks on the day in a key moment in the fourth quarter.
4th Quarter - Dolphins ball
10:37 remaining
Texans ahead 20-12
3rd and five
+20-yard line
As soon as the Dolphins came to the line of scrimmage for this key third down, they put WR Tyreek Hill in the slot. Immediately, Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr moved inside to play press man on the Dolphins star wide out. When Stingley moved inside to cover Hill, it was clear that they were in man coverage; they couldn't hide that one at all. The Texans played cover one - man-to-man across the board with S Calen Bullock in the middle, free to help out where needed. But, the Alpha v. Alpha matchup of Hill v. Stingley Jr. was exactly where my eyes went and if my eyes went there, I was pretty sure QB Tua Tagovailoa's eyes went there as well. Hill is as dangerous from the slot as there in the league. He had a ton of field to work with behind Stingley Jr, so it's as tough a cover as there is for Stingley. Hill took Sting vertical and then broke his route to the outside. Tagovailoa anticipated Hill's cut and threw well before he made the cut. But, Stingley matched the great Dolphins pass catcher step for step. When he saw the out cut, Stingley undercut the route and was in perfect position to make a play. He turned his head right on time to snag the pass out of the air for his fourth interception of the season. I mean, that was teaching tape coverage. I mentioned during our broadcast that every single DB coach in America would/should show that to his DBs as the PERFECT way to cover that out route.
Stingley ended the game with another pick on a deep ball down the field to Hill, his second interception and fifth on the season. He has ten interceptions in his last 22 games - five in 2023, five in 2024. Quite frankly, he's the best CB in the league. Period.