Texans punter Shane Lechler, DE J.J. Watt named to NFL All Quarter Century team
Texans punter Shane Lechler, DE J.J. Watt named to NFL All Quarter Century team
The Houston Texans have been an above-average roster over the past several seasons and they've had some impactful players along the way. Perhaps bigger than defensive end J.J. Watt, who is expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when the time comes in 2027.
Who else deserves love? How about the punter that set up Houston's defense in the 2010s, Shane Lechler, a prominent figure in the locker room and around the league for decades. Well, ESPN believes he might be the G.O.A.T. of the 2000s in special teams.
Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder unveiled their NFL All Quarter Century team, which includes a slew of Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers and some of the most impactful players in the game. Technically, four players made the cut, but only two are known for their time in H-Town: does anyone really think of Houston star Ed Reed or Vince Wilfork?
Watt is the first in a long line of promising defensive ends in Houston, where he established himself as perhaps the league's best past rusher for over five season. He spent 10 seasons with Houston, and reamins the franchise's all-time leader in tackles for loss (172) and sacks (101). Watt was named first-team All Pro five times and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times. He also earned Defensive Player of the Year three times, starting in 2012 after recording a franchise leading 20.5 sacks.
"We wanted to save a spot for Watt because he can play as an edge rusher or interior lineman," Schatz wrote. "He is one of only three players in history to win Defensive Player of the Year three times, and he has the best plus-EPA of any player since 2000 (minimum 50 games)."
"Another way to describe Watt's greatness is with a look at defeats. That's a metric that adds together turnovers, tackles for loss and plays that prevent a conversion on third or fourth down. There have been only a dozen seasons of more than 40 defeats since 1991. Watt has three of them, including a record 57 defeats in 2012."
Lechler is widely considered the best punter of the new century and his consistency with hang time, arch angle, plus length of punt easily clears all other participants. He was only in Houston for five seasons, but it made the difference in helping Houston win multiple division titles.
"One of the greatest and longest-tenured punters in NFL history, Lechler was named a first-team All-Pro in his rookie season. Throughout his 18-year career, he racked up more first-team All-Pro selections (six) than any other punter in NFL history (no one has had more than four). Lechler led the league in gross punt average in five seasons, and his career average in yards per punt is an NFL record for punters who have played over 120 games."
The Texans open up the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Motivates Travis Kelce During NFL Offseason, Says ‘Close Friend'
Travis Kelce's close friend and broadcaster Pat McAfee recently shared his insight into the Chiefs tight end's relationship with Taylor Swift. In an episode of 'The Pat McAfee Show,' he expressed that the singer is motivating her boyfriend during the NFL offseason, which could positively impact Kelce's performance on the field. The former NFL punter's comments come amid reports that Swift is staying in Florida for her boyfriend's training for the upcoming NFL season. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 'motivate' and 'inspire' each other, says Pat McAfee Travis Kelce might return to the NFL season stronger than ever with the help of Taylor Swift. The NFL star's friend Pat McAfee spoke about how the couple is having a positive influence on each other during his recent episode of 'The Pat McAfee Show.' Advertisement According to the Daily Mail, McAfee said, 'I think they continue to inspire each other, I think they continue to motivate each other. I think they continue to be great for each other.' The broadcaster also believed that the inspiration would help Kelce's form for the NFL season, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to be included in 'title conversations.' Travis Kelce is reportedly preparing to make a comeback this upcoming NFL season and has his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, to support him. Last month, a source revealed that the singer is staying in Florida to spend quality time with her boyfriend while he trains. Aside from training, the couple has also been going out on a few dates in the city. They briefly took a break from the public eye after the Super Bowl in February. Earlier this month, Swift and Kelce were spotted leaving a restaurant in Florida after their dinner date. They briefly interacted with fans before leaving. The duo recently turned the Stanley Cup finals into another date night. They attended the game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, with several videos and photos capturing their loving interaction. Over the past few months, the couple has also been at the center of engagement and wedding rumors. Swift recently subtly dismissed the speculation with her visit to a children's hospital in Florida. When a fan asked why she was in the city, the singer claimed that it was because her 'boyfriend' had been training here. The post Taylor Swift Motivates Travis Kelce During NFL Offseason, Says 'Close Friend' appeared first on Reality Tea.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Travis Kelce Reveals Secret Behind Weight Loss While Taylor Swift ‘Motivates' Him
Travis Kelce recently opened up about his weight loss journey during a press conference. Previously, the NFL player had admitted to putting on some pounds ahead of the 2024-25 season. Earlier this week, he confessed that he has shed some weight and is all set to make a comeback for the forthcoming season. Additionally, his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, has played a major role in motivating him during the NFL offseason. Travis Kelce reveals running helped him shed some pounds ahead of NFL season Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's romance has often made headlines for many reasons. Along with enjoying their dating life, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end has also been training hard ahead of the upcoming NFL season. A few reports about the player losing 25 pounds during the NFL offseason had made headlines a while ago. Advertisement In a recent press conference, a reporter questioned Travis Kelce about his weight loss. The athlete chuckled and requested the attendees not to believe everything 'on the internet.' He mentioned that he had 'never told anybody' about losing 25 pounds. Furthermore, Swift's beau admitted that he has shed 'some weight from the end of the season last year.' 'This year, I got some time to really focus on some form running and some things early on in the offseason that I just didn't have time for last year,' the Chiefs tight end added. Meanwhile, the NFL star's friend Pat McAfee highlighted the singer's influence in Travis Kelce's efforts to rebuild himself during the offseason. In an episode of 'The Pat McAfee Show,' the host stated, 'I think they continue to inspire each other, I think they continue to motivate each other. I think they continue to be great for each other.' Apparently, the pop star's motivation is said to help her boyfriend's game in the upcoming season. She even stayed in Florida, where Kelce was training, to inspire him. The couple was also spotted spending some quality time there as they were photographed on a date night. The post Travis Kelce Reveals Secret Behind Weight Loss While Taylor Swift 'Motivates' Him appeared first on Reality Tea.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Analyst's QB rankings shockingly leaves Commanders' Jayden Daniels outside of top 10
Rankings are subjective. Remember that. That doesn't mean we can't review some rankings and ask: "What were they thinking?" Such is the case with a recent list from Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports. McDonald ranked his version of the NFL's top 10 quarterbacks and omitted the Washington Commanders' QB Jayden Daniels. Advertisement Here's McDonald's list: At first glance, I thought it was a mistake. How could McDonald leave Daniels off his list? It's understandable if he didn't rank Daniels No. 5. While several already believe Daniels is a top-five signal caller, some believe he still has much to prove. Neither perspective is wrong. Daniels did things last season that no other rookie has ever done. He won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, led the Commanders to the NFC championship game and the franchise's best season in 33 years. McDonald's top four is inarguable: Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. Regardless of the order, those are the NFL's top four QBs heading into 2025. Beginning at No. 5 is where things get interesting. Advertisement McDonald chose Justin Herbert over Daniels. Herbert is 0-2 as a starting quarterback in the playoffs, while Daniels won two playoff games as a rookie. No, there's more to quarterbacking than playoff wins or win/loss record, but, based on last season, would you take Herbert over Daniels? McDonald ranked the QBs into four tiers: the Patrick Mahomes tier, the almost-Mahomes tier, the ceiling-raiser tier, and the floor-raiser tier. Jackson and Allen landed in the second tier, while Burrow, Herbert and Matthew Stafford all landed in the third tier. Finally, Dak Prescott, Geno Smith, Jordan Love and C.J. Stroud landed in the final tier. Daniels should be in everyone's top 10. So should Baker Mayfield. Could anyone make the case that Prescott, Smith and Love are better than Daniels or Mayfield? Who would make up your top 10? Where would you rank Daniels? Advertisement Remember, rankings are subjective. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: QB rankings shockingly leaves Commanders' Jayden Daniels out of top 10
