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| − | The '''Houston Texans''' are a [[National Football League]] [[franchise]] based in [[Houston]], [[Texas]]. Many fans tend to be in east Texas and are likely conservative as most of southeast Texas is on the right. They are part of the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) and play in the AFC South Division. The Texans were formed as an expansion team in 2002 (they are the youngest of the current franchises) and enabled the [[NFL]] to split the AFC into four equally divided divisions instead of three (part of that move included moving the [[Seattle Seahawks]] from the AFC West to the NFC West Division). In the short history of the franchise, the Texans never had a winning season until 2011-2012. | + | The '''Houston Texans''' are a [[National Football League]] [[franchise]] based in [[Houston]], [[Texas]]. Many fans tend to be in east Texas and are likely conservative as most of southeast Texas is on the right. They are part of the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) and play in the AFC South Division. |
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| − | The original plan was for this franchise to be awarded to Los Angeles (the second largest media market, which lost two franchises previously); however, several competing groups refused to cooperate on getting a team nor could any of them snooker public entities into paying for a new stadium, and therefore Houston (which wanted a team after the Houston Oilers, an original AFC team, relocated to Nashville) was awarded the team. | + | ==History and League Success== |
| | + | The Texans were formed as an expansion team in 2002 (they are the youngest of the current franchises). |
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| − | ==Roster==
| + | After the controversial relocations of the original Cleveland Browns to Baltimore (as the [[Baltimore Ravens]] and the Houston Oilers (an original AFL franchise) to Nashville (as the [[Tennessee Titans]]), the NFL quickly announced plans (in March 1998) to ultimately expand to 32 teams. Cleveland was given the 31st franchise (and, as part of the Ravens' move, the team was given the [[Cleveland Browns]] name and historical records). The plan was to consider one of three cities for a potential 32nd franchise: Houston (the then fourth largest US media market, Toronto (which would be the first NFL franchise outside the United States, and is the fifth-largest media market among all North American cities) and Los Angeles (the second largest US media market, which had also lost two franchises previously). |
| − | ===Quarterbacks===
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| − | * - Dan Orlovsky
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| − | *8 - [[Matt Schaub]]
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| − | ===Running Backs===
| + | Meanwhile, Houston businessman Bob McNair (who only two weeks prior failed to get Houston a [[National Hockey League]] franchise, and notwithstanding rumors that the NFL would not expand for at least a decade) began plans to bring professional football back to Houston. He quickly gained the support of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials who supported his plan for a state-of-the-art domed stadium (to replace the venerable, but rapidly aging and out-of-date, Astrodome). |
| − | *20 - [[Steve Slaton]]
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| − | *21 - Ryan Moats
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| − | *37 - Cecil Sapp
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| − | *22 - Chris Brown
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| − | *30 [[Ahman Green]]
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| − | *27 - Chris Taylor
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| − | ===Fullbacks===
| + | Both McNair and Michael Ovitz (who wanted to bring a franchise to Los Angeles) asked the NFL to make its intentions for a 32nd franchise known quickly, lest public support wane in the interim. The NFL did so, announcing in October 1998 that it would definitely expand to 32 teams, and decide by April 1999 the location of the 32nd franchise. But by then, Orvitz was faced with a competitor for the potential Los Angeles franchise: Ed Roski, who planned to build a stadium within the shell of the historic Los Angeles Coliseum (host of two prior Olympic games and previously home of the Los Angeles Rams before their move to St. Louis). |
| − | *44 - Vonta Leach
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| − | ===Wide Receivers===
| + | In March 1999, the NFL (not unexpectedly) chose Los Angeles as the location for the 32nd franchise, but with a caveat: Los Angeles had to arrange for an ownership group and stadium deal acceptable to the league by September 15 of that year, or Houston would be next in line. One month later the NFL was totally shocked at the absolute lack of progress: neither Ovitz nor Roski would concede to the other nor work together, neither would commit to a state-of-the-art facility (something Houston promised from the outset), and Los Angeles (in an unusual bit of fiscal discipline for the liberal-dominated city) refused to allow taxpayer money to be used in building a stadium. A follow-up visit the next month yielded only slightly more progress (since Ovitz decided to use the Coliseum site for his proposed facility, complete with a 60-acre complex of parks, parking garages and shopping areas) but not enough to alleviate the concerns of then-NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue (Ovitz' proposed plan included $225 million for parking garages alone, and both Los Angeles and California were still showing surprising fiscal discipline in not agreeing to the use of taxpayer funds), who advised McNair to resume discussions with the expansion committee overseeing the franchise award. |
| − | *83 - Kevin Walter
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| − | *80 - [[Andre Johnson]]
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| − | *86 - Harry Williams
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| − | *89 - David Anderson
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| − | *11 - Andre Davis
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| − | *84 - Darnell Jenkins
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| − | ===Tight Ends===
| + | By early September 1999 the Los Angeles situation had actually worsened with the addition of a third group (led by Marvin Davis) competing for the franchise, with no progress otherwise; the expansion committee notified McNair and other Houston officials to be prepared to attend an NFL owners' meeting the following month in Atlanta. The NFL would still consider a bid from any of the Los Angeles groups, but now would consider a bid from McNair's Houston group as well. Though Ovitz ultimately bid $540 million for the 32nd franchise, McNair offered $700 million and his bid was accepted, thus Houston was awarded the franchise. |
| − | *81 - Owen Daniels
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| − | *87 - Mark Breuner
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| − | *85 - Joel Dreessen
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| − | *82 - Clark Harris
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| − | ===Offensive Tackles===
| + | The team has made the playoffs six times but has never advanced beyond the Divisional Round. |
| − | *76 - Duane Brown
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| − | *78 - Rashad Butler
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| − | *74 - Ephraim Salaam
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| − | *73 - Eric Winston
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| − | ===Guards=== | + | ==AFC South Rivals== |
| − | *65 - Mike Brisiel
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| − | *69 - [[Chester Pitts]]
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| − | *64 - Kasey Studdard
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| − | *62 - Scott Jackson
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| − | *70 - Fred Weary
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| − | | |
| − | ===Centers===
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| − | *55 - Chris Myers
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| − | *63 - Chris White
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| − | ===Defensive Ends===
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| − | *72 - Jesse Nading
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| − | *98 - Anthony Weaver
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| − | *90 - [[Mario Williams]]
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| − | *96 - Earl Cochran
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| − | *95 - Stanley McClover
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| − | * - Antonio Smith
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| − | ===Defensive Tackles===
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| − | *93 - Tim Bulman
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| − | *99 - Travis Johnson
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| − | *97 - Frank Okam
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| − | *91 - [[Amobi Okoye]]
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| − | *66 - DelJuan Robinson
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| − | *92 - Jeff Zgonina
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| − | ===Linebackers===
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| − | *52 - [[Xavier Adibi]]
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| − | *57 - Kevin Bentley
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| − | *53 - Kevis Coley
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| − | *56 - Morlon Greenwood
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| − | *59 - [[DeMeco Ryans]]
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| − | *51 - Chaun Thompson
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| − | *54 - Zac Diles
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| − | ===Cornerbacks===
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| − | *32 - Fred Bennett
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| − | *38 - Demarcus Faggins
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| − | *35 - David Pittman
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| − | *35 - Jaques Reeves
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| − | *27 - Matterral Richardson
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| − | *23 - [[Dunta Robinson]]
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| − | *26 - [[Eugene Wilson]]
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| − | *22 - Jimmy Williams
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| − | ===Safeties===
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| − | *34 - Dominique Barber
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| − | *47 - Will Demps
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| − | *25 - Nick Ferguson
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| − | *31 - Brandon Harrison
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| − | ===Kickers===
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| − | *3 - Kris Brown
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| − | ===Punters===
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| − | *1 - Matt Turk
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| − | ===Facts About The Team===
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| − | They play in the NRG Stadium. Logo is a [[cow]] head with red on one side and blue on the other. In 2011 and 2012 postseason, they went through the wild card round only to lose in the divisional round. A likely hall of famer duo is Andre Johnson, a wide receiver and JJ Watt, a defensive lineman. No player of the Texans has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Houston hopes to rebuild for the future.
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| − | ==See also==
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| | *[[Indianapolis Colts]] | | *[[Indianapolis Colts]] |
| | *[[Jacksonville Jaguars]] | | *[[Jacksonville Jaguars]] |
| | *[[Tennessee Titans]] | | *[[Tennessee Titans]] |
| − | *[[National Football Conference]]
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| − | *[[American Football Conference]]
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| | == External links == | | == External links == |