Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien gives his players coaching points with the media, and one of them is to not make predictions.
Safety Michael Thomas isn’t making a prediction; he is stating a fact about the team’s special teams unit.
“I’ll say this, this is by far the most talented special teams unit I’ve ever been a part of,” Thomas said. “I’ve been a part of some units that have done great things in the NFL, been number one in a couple units, but not as great in some other ones.”
That is high praise coming from someone who earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2018 for his special teams play. If anyone is the most talented, at least most meritorious, it would be Thomas. However, the former Nimitz High School product has high expectations for the group.
“I don’t want to make predictions like Bill O’Brien said, but I definitely have high expectations for this unit,” Thomas said. “I want us to perform at a very high level and I know we’ve got a lot of guys that take pride in trying to be the best. Not just going out there playing at a high level, but trying to be the best. The best in our division. The best in the league. The best unit every single time we take the field against any other team. The best unit for that night. So, I mean, that’s the expectation.”
The Texans have core special teamers throughout their roster in cornerback Keion Crossen, linebackers Dylan Cole, Tyrell Adams, Brennan Scarlett, and Peter Kalambayi, running back Buddy Howell, and safety A.J. Moore.
“When I look at this unit I just think about the guys I’m going to be lining up next to and what they’ve already accomplished, and most of them are super young,” said Thomas.
The 30-year-old also relishes the notion of taking the field with a young, talented special teams unit because it puts the onus on him to prove himself daily in practice.
Said Thomas: “I’m finally at a point again in my career where I feel like I have to go earn my stripes again and go prove myself because these dudes perform at such a high level. We were ranked super high last year and I’m stepping into that, instead of going to a special teams unit where I got to try to build that culture, bring that winning mentality to a special teams unit.”
The Texans are entering a new era in their special teams play with Tracy Smith taking over for Brad Seely as special teams coordinator. The competition between the players on the transition unit remains the same.
“We’re all like competing against each other,” Thomas said. “It’s like a sibling rivalry. We’re all trying to make the tackle. We all try to make the play. It’s a great feeling being on the special team unit.”
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