Jerry Hughes, a veteran defensive end, was re-signed by the Texans.
The Sugar Land native is starting his third season with the AFC South champs after being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round out of TCU. The 35-year-old Hughes has 479 tackles, 70 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 2 touchdowns, and 5 fumble recoveries in his career.
Hughes, a graduate of Stephen F. Austin, resurrected his career two seasons ago after signing a $10 million, two-year deal with a guaranteed $5.5 million. Under new coach DeMeco Ryans, his playing time decreased last season. In 2022, while playing for former Texans coach Lovie Smith, he finished with nine sacks, ten tackles for losses, and ten quarterback hits. Last season, he had 17 appearances, starting two of them. He recorded one forced fumble, three sacks, and 32 tackles.
“It was enjoyable,” Hughes remarked a year ago. To be honest, I’m not sure what it was—maybe it was simply being back home, being among my childhood friends, or simply being in a familiar setting. Acquiring those sacks and getting the ball rolling was fantastic. It revitalized me, and now I’m staring at the bag totals, dude.
“We always discuss how to lead the NFL in sacks, how to get to the quarterback, and how to have fun while getting the job done this year. We’re trying to find ways to crack the top ten or even the top five.”
