GREAT EXPECTATIONS
How hype around Houston Texans already raising some intriguing questions
Mar 15, 2024, 4:17 pm
Will the Texans catch the Astros in popularity? Composite Getty Image.
Every pro sports city has one team that “owns it.” By “owns it,” we mean the team that dominates the conversation on sports talk radio, has the highest local TV ratings and grab the top headline in the newspaper sports section.
In Los Angeles, for example, that team is the Lakers. The LeBrons’ TV and radio ratings dwarf even the superstar-loaded Dodgers. The Rams and Chargers are comparative after thoughts.
In New York, the keys belong to the legendary Yankees with 27 World Series titles and the ghosts of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig still holding season tickets.
Around the country, usually (I said usually) it’s the NFL team that owns the town. The NFL is bigger than MLB, the NBA and NHL combined. The NFL team has to be really sucky to let the baseball, basketball, or hockey team claim the fans’ NFL passion.
It does happen. In Miami, the NBA Heat are tops with fans. Maybe it’s because the Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since Dan Marino was slinging touchdown passes to the Marks Brothers. In Las Vegas, the hockey Golden Knights are more popular than the Raiders.
Which leads us to …
Who “owns” Houston? Is it the Astros in midstream of seven consecutive ALCS appearances and two World Series victory parades? Or is it, whoa this is sudden, the Texans coming off a winning season, an NFL playoff appearance and a wild card victory, a new respected head coach and maybe the most exciting rookie quarterback to come along in NFL history?
We’re going to put the Rockets aside for the moment, or the past 30 years.
Sure the Astros have “winners” plastered all over the franchise. But winning doesn’t guarantee fan enthusiasm. It’s weird, but winning can become boring. Take the dynasty Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2005. They won 14 consecutive division titles and still couldn’t sellout some home playoff games. In 2005, riding that incredible streak of division titles, the Braves finished 15th in home attendance.
Here come the Texans. With the arrival of head coach DeMeco Ryans and sensational rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans are considered favorites to win the AFC South again in 2024 and some dare to whisper Super Bowl. At least they’re in the conversation of who might challenge the Kansas City Chiefs for NFL supremacy.
Remember, the NFL dominates the American sports landscape, and Texas has the reputation for being a football state. But really? The last time a Texas team won the Super Bowl was the 1995 Dallas Cowboys. The Texans have never even played for the AFC championship.
The last two World Series champions have come from Texas: the Astros in 2022 and the Rangers last year. Vegas oddsmakers say the Rangers win was a fluke, but the Astros are the favorites to be American League champion and return to their rightful spot in the World Series.
Who is the brightest sports star in Houston? Is it Jose Altuve on his way to the baseball Hall of Fame? Or is it C.J. Stroud who just won the NFL Rookie of the Year award?
The Astros have more recognizable star players: Altuve is a Houston folk hero, plus Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Justin Verlander. The Astros are cuddly. We hear every time they get engaged or have a baby. They’re the good guys in Houston.
Except for Stroud, how many Texans would you recognize if they were sitting in Chick-fil-A?
So the answer to “who owns Houston?”
It’s the Astros. But the Texans are roaring down the backstretch and could catch the Astros at the wire in 2024.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!