The Houston Texans are preparing for the start of their 2026 regular season, set to kick off against the Buffalo Bills on September 13. In advance of this season opener, the team has officially revealed its captains for the year.
This season, the Texans will have four captains: quarterback C.J. Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, and defensive back Jalen Pitre. This selection marks a slight reduction from the previous year’s group of five captains.
Notably, Jalen Pitre is stepping into a captaincy role for the first time, replacing wide receiver Nico Collins, who was a captain last season but has not been selected again this year.
The Texans have parted ways with veteran running back Dare Ogunbowale, who had served as a captain in the past and is currently a free agent after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The decision-making process for selecting captains reflects the culture established by head coach DeMeco Ryans. The Texans have focused on bringing in strong personalities and leaders, with several new players added to the roster who have previously held captain roles on their former teams.
This offseason, the team signed safety Reed Blankenship from the Philadelphia Eagles and drafted multiple players who served as captains in college.
