The Houston Texans had a busy offseason, revamping the roster in multiple areas. The complete overhaul of the offensive line understandably received the most attention, but perhaps the most important thing the team did this offseason was to sign star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to a long-term extension.
The 23-year-old defender will not be hitting the market any time soon after signing a three-year, $90 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid CB in NFL history. Stingley is now under contract through 2029 with a total value of $113 million.
The former No. 3 overall pick spoke to the media for the first time since signing his record-breaking deal.
Derek Stingley Jr. on signing a record-breaking extension: "I kind of went into this situation playing football. I wasn't focused on how all of that was going to get done. But it got done and it's cool...I'm just here to play football."
— Jonathan M Alexander (@jonmalexander) March 19, 2025
Derek Stingley Jr. Makes First Remarks After Record-Breaking Extension
Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Alexander reported that the Texans star wasn't too focused on the extension and is only "here to play football." He added that it's already "time to start playing football" and that he is "ready to get back into it."
This attitude has certainly served Stingley well throughout his career. The Lousiana native, who said he celebrated by eating crawfish, has had a dominant spell with the Texans over the last two seasons. He was one of the best defensive backs in the league in 2024, his first fully healthy season. He made the All-Pro first team and finished with five interceptions, 18 pass breakups, and allowed the second-lowest completion rate of any CB with at least 200 coverage snaps.
Stingley will continue to be tasked with defending the elite wide receivers of the league. The Texans secondary will look to improve next season with the addition of C.J. Gardner Johnson. Last season, Houston finished as the 14th-best defensive unit in the league in terms of scoring and was graded as the 11th-best team in coverage per PFF.