Established
2002
City
Houston
League History
2002 - Present / National Football League
Team History
2002 - Present / Houston Texans
Nickname
Texans - The Houston Texans are one of the most beloved teams in the NFL, and their nickname has a long and storied history. The team was founded in 2002 as an expansion franchise, taking its name from the state of Texas’s original six flags – Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas (1836-45), Confederate States (1861-65), and the United States.
The “Texans” name honors those who have called this great state home for centuries and those who continue to do so today. It also serves to recognize all that makes up this unique region: its people; its culture; its climate; and even its language—all of which make it distinctively Texan!
When selecting a mascot for their new team in 2002, the Texans organization wanted something that would pay homage to the Lone Star State and represent what they stand for on the game day — strength, determination & courage. After much deliberation, they settled on Toro, a bull with horns made out of longhorns - symbolizing power & toughness while still reflecting traditional Texan values like loyalty & pride.
Since then, he has become an integral part of gameday at NRG Stadium, where fans can be seen wearing his jersey or cheering him on during halftime performances! He's even been immortalized by local artists such as sculptor Bob Packwood whose famous bronze statue stands outside Reliant Stadium alongside other iconic figures from Houston sports, including Hakeem Olajuwon & Earl Campbell.
So next time you're watching your favorite football team take center stage, remember why we call them 'Texans' - no matter how far away you may be, everyone here knows exactly what it means when someone says, "Go Texans!"
Championship
Super Bowl 0
Stadium
2014 - Present / NRG Stadium
2002 - 2013 / Reliant Stadium
Owner
2002 - Present / Robert C. McNair
- 2002
- 2002
- 2011
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Houston Texans Team Formation
In 1997, Houston entrepreneur Bob McNair had a failed bid to bring a National Hockey League expansion team to the city, and Bud Adams relocated the city’s NFL team, the Houston Oilers, to Nashville where they were renamed Tennessee Titans. Given the Cleveland Browns had just suffered a controversial relocation to become the Baltimore Ravens, the league promised to return ... -
NRG Stadium
NRG Stadium (formerly Reliant Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. NRG Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,054, a total area of 1,900,000 square feet (180,000 m2) with a 97,000 sq ft (9,000 m2) playing surface. NRG Stadium employs two different playing surfaces; a natural grass field is used for professional football games while an artificial surface, ... -
Drafted JJ Watt
“J.J.” Watt is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Texans with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft and played college football at Wisconsin. Watt received the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in his first five ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Texans
The Houston Texans, home to the NFL Greatest Player JJ Watt, have been a staple of the NFL since 2002, when they became the league’s 32nd franchise. The team has had its share of successes and failures in its nearly two-decade history, but one thing is for sure: They are here to stay.
The Texans began to play with much fanfare as they drafted quarterback David Carr with their first pick in 2002. Carr struggled early on but eventually led the team to four consecutive winning seasons from 2007-2010, including back-to-back AFC South titles in 2008 and 2009. Despite these successes, it was not enough as head coach Gary Kubiak was fired after an 8–8 season in 2013 following five straight nonwinning campaigns under his tenure.
In 2014 Bill O’Brien took over as head coach. He immediately changed the culture of the organization by drafting defensive end Jadaveon Clowney as their number one overall pick that year, followed by signing veteran quarterback Brock Osweiler before heading into the 2016 season, where they would win another AFC South title behind rookie phenom Deshaun Watson who replaced injured starter Tom Savage midseason en route to being named NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year while leading them all way to Divisional Round of playoffs.
Despite missing out on the postseason last year due lack of injuries, this year's squad looks primed for more success as Watson enters his entire third season alongside star receiver Deandre Hopkins, new addition Brandin Cooks, plus stout defense led by NFL Greatest Player JJ Watt & Whitney Mercilus. With the such talent around him, it's no surprise that many experts have picked Houston Texans to make a deep run into playoffs this upcoming fall.
Overall there have been plenty of highs & lows throughout the team's 18-year history so far, but looking ahead future seems bright for this young Texans squad!
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Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history