Tag: brian cushing

Brian Cushing believes DeMeco Ryans will turn Texans around

Former Houston Texans Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Cushing believes former teammate and new coach DeMeco Ryans will be able to turn the team around.

This week on The Texans Wire’s “Another Texans Podcast” former Houston Texans first round pick and linebacker Brian Cushing joined co-hosts John Crumpler and Patrick Storm. Cushing talked about a variety of topics from his college playing days in Los Angeles, former defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, to his thoughts about developing defensive schemes in the NFL today.

When asked about his former teammate and new Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans, Cushing was quick to note how different the energy around the city is and how well qualified Ryans is for the rebuild.

“DeMeco has got great energy. I really think he relates with every single guy on the team. I don’t know personally but I believe he has an open door policy where if guys have questions or a desire to talk about something he has no problem sitting down and talking. He has advice outside football too. Whatever DeMeco decided to do in life he was going to be successful… Excitement isn’t even the word for seeing him go out there and turn things around. If anyone could do it, it was him.”

Cushing played with Ryans for three seasons before the latter was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. If anyone knows just how talented Ryans was as a leader, the former linebacker who made hundreds of tackles alongside him is well qualified to attest to that.

You can hear the full discussion on YouTube or anywhere you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe on YouTube to Another Texans Podcasts for more great discussions this upcoming season.

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WATCH: Brian Cushing introduces Texans’ selection of C Juice Scruggs

Former linebacker Brian Cushing announced the Houston Texans’ Round 2 selection of former Penn State center Juice Scruggs at the 2023 NFL draft.

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Cushing was on hand Friday night to announce the Houston Texans’ second-round selection of former Penn State center Juice Scruggs.

Cushing, who played for Houston from 2009-17, took to the podium at Union Station in Kansas City to read the selection.

“Kansas City, how are we doing?” Cushing said. “Houston Texans are making moves. The Philadelphia Eagles have traded the 62nd pick to the Houston Texans. And with the 62nd pick of the 2023 NFL draft, the Houston Texans select Juice Scruggs, center, Penn State. Go Texas.”

Cushing, a former first-round pick from USC, won the 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

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Brian Cushing slated to announce Houston Texans’ 2023 NFL draft Day 2 selection

Former linebacker Brian Cushing will announce the Houston Texans’ Day 2 selection from Kansas City at the 2023 NFL draft.

Leave it to a linebacker to call out the signals.

The Houston Texans have former Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Cushing slated to announce one of their Day 2 selections from the 2023 NFL draft at Union Station in Kansas City.

NFL PR boss Brian McCarthy released a complete list of all 32 teams’ “Round 2” announcers. Some teams — notably the Cleveland Browns — aren’t picking until the third round, which means some of these former players wouldn’t even make it to the podium if it were truly limited to the second-round.

Houston does not pick until No. 65 overall in Round 3. Cushing should stick around as the Texans also have another third-rounder at No. 73.

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Texans’ DeMeco Ryans says rookie Brian Cushing made him want to be a coach

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says that mentoring rookie Brian Cushing is what sparked in him a desire to be an NFL coach.

DeMeco Ryans has a list of individuals he can thank for helping him become the Houston Texans coach, and one of them is Brian Cushing.

The former 2009 first-round linebacker was the impetus for Ryans wanting to get involved in coaching while he was with the Texans.

“When I first thought about coaching, it was while I was playing,” Ryans said. “While I played, I was always interested into the development and the delivery of people around me. When I saw young Brian Cushing coming in as a rookie and being able to work with him and to help him alongside me, I wanted to make sure that Brian was the best that he could be because I knew if I poured into him everything that I knew and I helped him, if he was playing his best, I was playing my best, and we all played our best, then I knew we would deliver wins.”

The development of Cushing paid off as the USC product generated 133 combined tackles, 4.0 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, 10 pass breakups, and a safety in his 16 starts as a rookie. Cushing earned a Pro Bowl and was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Cushing wasn’t the only young linebacker that Ryans mentored in his career, as Jordan Hicks was another such product with the Philadelphia Eagles, where Ryans closed out his career from 2012-15.

“The reason I got into coaching was to help players,” said Ryans. “That’s the only reason I got into coaching. I was able to get that opportunity out in San Francisco after playing.”

Kyle Shanahan, who was on the Texans’ staff in a variety of capacities from 2006-09, hired Ryans as a defensive quality control coach in 2017, Shanahan’s first season with the 49ers. It was Ryans’ first coaching gig after being off football for a year.

Said Ryans: “I sat out for a year, and I was able to go out there, and it was truly about just helping others. That’s what I want to do here with our guys is just developing our young men, developing the players to be the best players they can be on the field, but also I want to develop men to be the best men off the field. Develop great husbands, great fathers, great community men. That’s what coaching is to me. It’s about the development and delivery of men.”

Ultimately Ryans wants to deliver to Houston its first Super Bowl win.

“We want to develop a great team here that we can deliver wins to the city of Houston,” Ryans said. “We want to deliver a championship here to the city of Houston, and that’s what it will be about.”

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