Born Nathaniel Jasper, Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell rarely hears anyone call him by his birth name.
Tank is what he goes by in the huddle.
It’s how the media addresses him postgame.
The fans only know him as “Tank” when he piles past defenders for a touchdown.
Where did the infamous nickname come from? How did the 5-foot-10, 165-pound target known for his route-running and speed garner a name known for burly, brute offensive linemen?
According to the second-year receiver, his mother noticed his cranium size, leading to a name that would follow him to the pros.
“My momma said I had a tank head when I was younger. So she started calling me that probably when I was only like one years old or something like that. Then my whole family picked up on it,” Dell said during the latest episode of The Pivot Podcast “And my friends came around, they started hearing ‘Tank come here, Tank come here’ and then they’re picking up on it. Then after that, this is my name now.”
Dell embraced the nickname. To his family, he’ll always be Nathaniel. In the eyes of the government, he’ll soon be Tank, too.
“I’m about to change (my name) legally,” Dell said. “Nathaniel, hate it. I hate it. Do I look like a Nathaniel bro?”
Like a Tank firing its ammunition, Dell exploded onto the NFL stage as one of C.J. Stroud’s top targets in 2023. A third-round pick of the University of Houston, Dell was a Day 1 and confidant for the Ohio State passer as the two began their rookie seasons.
Before Nico Collins became Houston’s No. 1 target, Dell was on pace for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. In 11 games, he and Stroud connected 47 times for 709 yards and seven touchdowns, including a game-winning 3-yard score in a comeback victory over the Buccaneers in Week 9.
Entering December, Dell was on pace for over 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. A broken leg suffered against the Denver Broncos sidelined him for the remainder of the year, though he’s back running as if it never occurred.
Stroud, who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year after throwing for over 4,100 yards, doesn’t have a nickname yet. He does have a receiver who’s lived up to his through one NFL season and could be the x-factor in securing more than a division title in 2024.