The Houston Texans are preparing for the start of their 2026 regular season, with their Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills approaching. In anticipation of this kickoff, the team has officially named four captains for the upcoming season.
The selected captains are quarterback C.J. Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, and defensive back Jalen Pitre. This year's group includes a mix of returning players and new leadership, with Pitre making his debut as a captain. He replaces wide receiver Nico Collins, who served as a captain last year but was not selected for this season's leadership role.
Notably, veteran running back Dare Ogunbowale, who had been with the Texans for three seasons, is no longer on the roster after being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders. His absence contributes to the change in the captaincy lineup.
The decision-making process for selecting captains is influenced by the culture established by head coach DeMeco Ryans, who has emphasized strong leadership within the team. The Texans have focused on bringing in players with leadership experience, including former captains from other teams, as part of their strategy to reinforce their team culture, known as "S.W.A.R.M."
This offseason, the Texans also added several players who were captains at their previous teams, alongside drafting multiple players with captain experience from college. The four captains for this season will all be entering at least their third year with the Texans, highlighting the team's commitment to retaining experienced players in leadership roles.
