Justin Britt was content with the Seattle Seahawks.
The defending Super Bowl champions drafted him with their second-round pick from Missouri in 2014. The 6-6, 315-pound offensive lineman started 16 games at right tackle his first season and then another 16 at left guard before finding his home at center, snapping the ball to quarterback Russell Wilson before every play.
However, a knee injury eight games into the 2019 campaign led to his departure as the Seahawks released him in late April of 2020. The starter of 86 out of 87 games since 2014 had two chances to get back into the league with the Green Bay Packers offering a tryout that September and even the Kansas City Chiefs working him out amid their Super Bowl run. Both chances never materialized.
“I felt, leaving Seattle, I felt unwanted, but like they were good to me,” Britt told reporters on May 20 on a Zoom call. “I enjoyed my time there and the friendships I made and playing with Russ (Wilson), I’m forever grateful for that.”
Britt admits that it is “a little weird” in Houston compared to Seattle. The headquarters for the Texans’ operation is inside NRG Stadium as opposed to an offsite training facility like in Seattle.
“Pulling up to the stadium rather than a facility, but that’s the exciting part,” said Britt. “You pull up to the stadium and know that this is where I work. It’s incredible. It took maybe a couple of weeks to get used to things, but I think everyone in the building does a really good job of making people feel like they’ve been here.”
Britt takes over a center position that was manned by Nick Martin for the past 62 games going back to the 2017 season. The Texans are hopeful the 29-year-old from Lebanon, Missouri, has a comeback season and provides stability for the offensive line in 2021.