Plenty of Houston Texans fans probably remember linebacker Devin White best for his fundamental tackling and love of horses during his five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud remembers White for a different reason. The former Pro Bowler gave the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year an “it’s big boy football” memory during the 2023 season when the two met at NRG Stadium in Week 9.
As Stroud took the snap, White bulldozed through the interior of Houston’s offensive line and met the quarterback head-on. Stroud was smart enough to dodge the defender and throw the ball away before being taken down for a sack, but it certainly was something that nearly altered the game’s outlook.
“He is a heck of a football player, he’s really fast,” Stroud said nearly a year later after the Texans agreed to terms with White on a one-year deal Wednesday. “I feel like I got up a little bit, but I got out of bounds too, I am not trying to get hit by him.”
This got a laugh out of Stroud when I asked about it today.
He also added he’s a fan of adding the former Pro-Bowler, Devin White:
“I’m in love with the choice that Nick made and I think he’ll be a great addition to this defense” https://t.co/TkreD9RqSk pic.twitter.com/EHRE30UJpN
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) October 23, 2024
As the linebacker room deals with injuries, White hopes to be the solution. He signed a one-year deal earlier this offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles but never played a down during the first five games before being released earlier this month.
At his peak, the former first-rounder has the potential to be a three-down player and the next revival project under DeMeco Ryans.
“It’s no secret that Devin has been an All-pro, top linebacker in this League coming out of college,” Ryans said. “He was a no-miss player. He went top 10 in the Draft, I mean, he was an exceptional talent.”
@brgridiron The sound effects when he’s running 😂 #nfl #micahparsons #cjstroud @The Edge with Micah Parsons ♬ original sound – B/R Gridiron
As for Stroud, he’s yet to talk to White about the incident, but he’s glad to call the former LSU star a teammate instead of an opponent.
“He is a great player, great addition so shoutout to [general manager] Nick [Caserio] for doing his thing once again,” Stroud said. “I am in love with that choice Nick made and I think he will be a great addition to this defense.”
The Texans return to NRG Stadium to take on the Indianapolis Colts this Saturday at noon CT.
