HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) - Texans head coach Lovie Smith announced his team captains for the 2022 season on Wednesday morning.
To no one’s surprise, quarterback Davis Mills was named as one of the five.
Smith, along with the rest of the coaching staff and players, each got one vote to select leaders of the team when they cast their ballot this past Monday.
Smith spilled the beans back in July, saying Mills was going to be one of his votes for certain.
“I’m going to vote for one special team, one offense, one defensive guy,” Smith said. “Davis Mills, of course, gets my vote for captain.”
After a tumultuous rookie season for Mills and the organization as a whole, Mills seized the opportunity he saw before him and finished the season strong.
He’s garnered a great deal of support from his teammates who have constantly praised his work ethic, improvement as the team's signal caller and growth as a leader both on and off the field.
Brandin Cooks was named as the other offensive team captain. He was, of course, Mills’ favorite target last season, catching a team and career high 90 passes.
Middle linebacker Christian Kirksey, and first year Texan, defensive end Jerry Hughes, will represent the defense as captains. The longest tenured Texan, long snapper Jon Weeks, will represent the special teams unit in his 13th season with the franchise.
Lovie Smith told reporters Wednesday that while the two have certainly earned it, evidenced by their work ethic and peer voting, it’s important for the quarterback and middle linebacker to be in those roles.
“Teams I’ve been on, if your quarterback and mike linebacker is not selected, it’s tougher,” Smith said. “Luckily for us we have guys that really lead that way.”
Hughes has made an immediate impact on the team, as Texans general manager Nick Caserio sung his praises last week.
“This guy has been a rock star since the day he arrived. When you see a player from afar, you really don't know exactly sort of what makes him tick,” Caserio said. “He was a pain in the ass for us in New England, I would say almost more in the running game than he was as a pass rusher because of his ability to rip inside and be disruptive, kind of split double teams. He was hard to block, and he was always out there.”
Aside from the on-the-field production and durability Hughes has displayed during his 13-year career, there are intangible reasons he’s made it that far.
“He's very diligent. He's very professional. He has good leadership. Players respect him,” Caserio said. “He can still perform I would say at a pretty good level. I mean, that's the most important thing, because it's about production. But Jerry has done a great job.”
The Texans believe they’re already a better football team than last year. That may very well be the case, as they certainly look and sound a helluva lot more put together than they did at any point last season.
Players like Cooks, Hughes and other veterans they’ve brought in, along with the young players they’re developing, should emit that kind of confidence in a football to team to start a season.
It’s a breath of fresh air, as that was not the case at any point last season.
Needless to say, what matters most is what the win/loss column says. The last two seasons have said 4-12 and 4-13.
Just plain bad.
The Texans will have their first crack at turning the worm Sunday afternoon, as they look to avenge two of their worst losses last season when they host the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.
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