About Houston Texans

Houston's status as a major commercial market is undeniable. It is the seat of Harris County & a part of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area, America's sixth largest. In such conditions, NFL's failure to tap into the considerable market by filling the void left by the 1997 departure of the Houston Oilers to Tennessee was shocking. At the forefront of the move to bring football back to Houston was businessman Bob McNair & sports executive Steve Patterson. McNair sensed the NFL was bound to add a 32nd franchise after awarding Cleveland a team in 1998. Soon thereafter, Los Angeles, Houston & Toronto appeared as leading destinations. While Los Angeles' obvious sprawling media market got them a cursory nod as a NFL team left to negotiate a deal, McNair stood steadfast, pinning his hopes on the lure of a domed stadium construction plan. But Los Angeles' lack of preparation put Commissioner Taglibue off and Houston received the franchise. With the Texans kicking off their inaugural season in 2002, hopes were soaring. An opening day victory over the much-fancied interstate rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, was welcomed with open arms & a 4-12 first season wasn't too bad. 2004 saw the swiftly improving Texans blow the chance of a .500 season by flopping against the lackluster Cleveland Browns at home. It was a crushing blow, relegating them to the ignominy of a 2-14 return next season (capped by the subsequent draft pick fiasco where they let Houston starlet Vince Young slip from their grasp amid widespread fan unrest). Gary Kubiak took over as head coach in 2006, leading a steady revival of fortunes as the Texans clawed their way back to successive 8-8 seasons before 2009 saw the team register its first winning season. However, they were denied a playoff place by the Jets. The Texans play in the magnificent 71,500-seater Reliant Stadium. Completed in 2002, the imposing arena boasts of NFL's only retractable roof amid its many architectural marvels.

Gary Kubiak took charge of the franchise in 2006, replacing the faltering Dom Capers to bring in a 31-33 record. He is helped by nine offensive & six defensive coaches on his staff. Rick Smith undertakes General Managerial duties, while Bob McNair is the owner/founder of the team, completing the staff. The University of Texas has provided fundamental coaching at the grassroots level, contributing to the healthy input to the team. DeMeco Ryans, Andre Johnson, Mario Williams & Matt Schuab are some notable players for the rapidly rising franchise.

Many players have managed to create quite a legacy for the young team. Fans with Houston Texans tickets have been blessed to watch them pick up individual awards, making the possibility of a team triumph even more likely in the near future. A total of nine different players have made it to Pro Bowl selection, with wide receiver Andre Johnson receiving the honor four times. Quarterback Matt Schuab had a sensational 2010 Pro Bowl debut when he went on to win the Pr Bowl MVP Award.

The vocal fan groups have made sure that despite the paucity of on field success, the Houston Texans remain one of NFL's most well-supported outfits, with Houston Texans tickets sales numbering thousands daily. Recent upsurge in fortunes shows that the hope of landing silverware in the near future is not a fool's optimism, & fans will be hoping for consistency to act as the catalyst for further success.