The Houston Texans camp and preseason haven't gone as smoothly as hoped, with injuries and struggling players defining the first month of the season. It is a part of being a young team attempting to take the next step to contention. However, this doesn't erase the frustration for a group that believed 2024 would be the season that a meaningful step forward was found. Still, the talent is in place and needed franchise quarterback in C.J. Stroud for the Texans to be a player in the AFC picture in late January.
Houston is aided by the fact that they are a part of the AFC South, where it is hard to see any of a trio of rivals making a surprise run at the division. This is the Texans' division to lose, and with that does come a level of pressure and expectations. Much of this is focused on the Houston defense that was quietly among the league's better units.
A big piece of this was star corner Derek Stingley Jr., who took a leap in the 2024 season to establish himself as one of the league's best corners. This brought high individual expectations that Stingley hasn't matched in camp, consistently getting beaten by his teammates.
— Derek Stingley Jr. (@stingjr) August 19, 2025
Star Texans Defender Sends Strong Message After Camp Struggles
Stingley didn't need words to get across his latest message, posting the iconic LeBron James stare during his time with the Miami Heat. The glare has become a message of focus and locking in. This speaks to the legend's continual impact a decade after joining the Heat. For Stingley, it is a clever way to let fans and pundits know that he hears all of the noise and remains focused.
The corner understands that this is simply camp and preseason and has put together meaningful game tape that should count for far more. While getting beat in camp is never ideal, there simply isn't a reason for legitimate concern. Stingley has shown himself to be reliable when the game matters most. There is no reason to doubt this based on getting beaten a handful of times in camp reps.
Still, it doesn't hurt that Stingley has heard the noise and is using it to fuel a hot start to the 2025 season. It is an attitude that Texans fans welcome for a group looking to take last year's expected leap and cement themselves among the AFC's top contenders.