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Houston Texans - wikipedia Houston Texans Jump to : navigation , search For the 1970s WFL team once called `` Houston Texans '' , see Shreveport Steamer . <Th_colspan="2"> Houston Texans <Td_colspan="2"> Current season <Td_colspan="2"> Established October 6 , 1999 ; 18 years ago ( 1999 - 10 - 06 ) First season : 2002 Play in and headquartered in NRG Stadium Houston , Texas <Th_colspan="2"> <Td_colspan="2"> Logo Wordmark <Th_colspan="2"> League / conference affiliations <Td_colspan="2"> National Football League ( 2002 -- present ) American Football Conference ( 2002 -- present ) AFC South ( 2002 -- present ) <Td_colspan="2"> Current uniform <Td_colspan="2"> Team colors Deep Steel Blue , Battle Red , Liberty White Fight song `` Football Time in Houston '' Mascot Toro <Th_colspan="2"> Personnel Owner ( s ) Bob McNair Chairman Bob McNair CEO Bob McNair President Jamey Rootes General manager Rick Smith Head coach Bill O'Brien <Th_colspan="2"> Team history <Td_colspan="2"> Houston Texans ( 2002 -- present ) <Th_colspan="2"> Championships <Td_colspan="2"> League championships ( 0 ) <Td_colspan="2"> Conference championships ( 0 ) <Td_colspan="2"> Division championships ( 4 ) AFC South : 2011 , 2012 , 2015 , 2016 <Th_colspan="2"> Playoff appearances ( 4 ) <Td_colspan="2"> NFL : 2011 , 2012 , 2015 , 2016 <Th_colspan="2"> Home fields <Td_colspan="2"> NRG Stadium ( 2002 -- present ) The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston , Texas . The Texans compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( AFC ) South division . The club first played in 2002 as an expansion team , which makes them the youngest franchise currently competing in the NFL . The Texans replaced Houston 's previous franchise , the Houston Oilers , which moved to Nashville , Tennessee and are now the Tennessee Titans . The team 's majority owner is Bob McNair . While the team mainly struggled in the 2000s , they clinched their first playoff berth during the 2011 season as AFC South division champions . The Texans have gone on to win more AFC South championships in 2012 , 2015 , and 2016 . To date , the Texans are the only NFL franchise to have never played in a conference championship game . Contents ( hide ) 1 Franchise history 2 Team identity 2.1 Nickname 2.2 Logo and uniforms 2.3 Mascots and cheerleaders 3 Rivalries 3.1 Tennessee Titans 3.2 Other AFC South rivalries 3.3 Cincinnati Bengals 3.4 New Orleans Saints 3.5 Dallas Cowboys 4 Statistics 4.1 Win -- loss record 4.2 Notable records vs opponents 5 NFL playoffs record 6 Players of note 6.1 Current roster 6.2 NFL Draft history 6.2. 1 First - round draft picks by year 6.3 Awards and honors 7 Coaches of note 7.1 Head coaches 7.2 Offensive coordinators 7.3 Defensive coordinators 7.4 Current staff 8 Traditions 9 Radio and television 9.1 Radio affiliates 10 Theme music 11 Work in the community 12 See also 13 Notes and references 14 External links Franchise history ( edit ) Main article : History of the Houston Texans In 1997 , Houston entrepreneur Bob McNair had a failed bid to bring a National Hockey League ( NHL ) expansion team to the city , and Bud Adams relocated the city 's NFL team , the Houston Oilers , to Nashville where they were renamed the Tennessee Titans . In 1996 , a year earlier , the Cleveland Browns had controversially relocated to become the Baltimore Ravens . As part of the settlement between the NFL , the city of Cleveland , Ohio , and the team owned by Art Modell , the league promised to return football to Cleveland within the following three years . In order to even out the franchises at 32 , the league also contemplated adding another expansion franchise . As Houston was one of the favorites for the extra franchise along with Toronto and Los Angeles ( which had lost the Rams and the Raiders in 1995 ) , McNair then decided to join the football project and founded Houston NFL Holdings with partner Steve Patterson . In association with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , they would push for a domed stadium as part of the bid to lure the NFL back to Houston . On October 6 , 1999 the NFL awarded the 32nd team to Houston , at the cost of $700 million . The Houston Texans joined the league at the 2002 NFL season , playing at the newly founded Reliant Stadium . With their opening game victory over the Dallas Cowboys that season , the team became the first expansion team to win its opening game since the Minnesota Vikings beat the Chicago Bears in 1961 . While the team struggled in early seasons , results began to improve once native Houstonian Gary Kubiak became the head coach in 2006 . The Texans finished with a . 500 season ( 8 - 8 ) in both 2007 and 2008 , and nearly qualified for the 2009 -- 10 NFL playoffs with a 9 -- 7 result in 2009 . In 2010 , the team started the season on a 4 -- 2 record going into a Week 7 bye week , but promptly collapsed 2 -- 8 in the second part of the season , finishing 6 -- 10 . The following season , former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips was hired as the defensive coordinator of the Texans , and the improved defense led to the Texans finishing 10 -- 6 , winning their first AFC South title . The Texans then beat wild card Cincinnati Bengals 31 -- 10 in the first round of the 2011 -- 12 NFL playoffs , before a 20 -- 13 defeat by the Ravens in the semifinals . The Texans surged as the team to beat in the AFC South in 2012 , holding an 11 -- 1 record by week 14 . However , they lost three of their last four games to finish 12 -- 4 ; beating the rival Indianapolis Colts in that four - game stretch allowing them to clinch their 2nd AFC South title . The Texans beat the Bengals again in the wild - card round , but they lost in the second round to the New England Patriots . In 2013 , the Texans started 2 -- 0 but went into a tailspin and lost every game afterwards . Kubiak was fired as head coach after being swept by the rival Jacksonville Jaguars , who themselves started 0 -- 8 . Wade Phillips filled in as head coach , but the Texans ' poor form did not change , and they finished 2 -- 14 , tying , with 2005 , their worst record in franchise history . The 14 - game losing streak is also the worst in franchise history . The Texans entered the 2014 season with a 14 - game losing streak . Former Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien became the Texans ' new head coach , and the third in franchise history , during the offseason . In 2014 , the Texans won three of their first four games , defeating the Redskins in the season opener , the Raiders , and the Bills , losing to the New York Giants . They lost three of their next four games , losing to the Dallas Cowboys , the Indianapolis Colts , and the Pittsburgh Steelers , respectively . The Texans went on to finish 9 -- 7 in the 2014 season and barely missed the playoffs . In the 2015 season , they were featured on HBO , on the show `` Hard Knocks '' . That year , the Texans started with a 2 -- 5 record . Quarterback Ryan Mallett was released amidst controversy regarding his benching in favor of Brian Hoyer during a loss against the Indianapolis Colts . After a poor start , the Texans finished with a 9 -- 7 record and won their third AFC South title . However , they were shut out by the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round 30 -- 0 , ending their championship hopes for the year . On March 9 , 2016 , the Texans signed former Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler to a 4 - year , $72 million deal . Despite Osweiler 's lucrative deal , he struggled significantly during the entire season . After throwing two interceptions in Week 15 against the Jaguars , coach Bill O'Brien benched the offseason acquisition in favor of backup quarterback Tom Savage . Savage led a comeback effort against the Jaguars , and was named the starter for the remainder of the season . The Texans clinched their fourth AFC South division title in six years in Savage 's first career start against the Bengals in Week 16 . They defeated the wildcard Oakland Raiders 27 -- 14 in the opening round of the playoffs with Osweiler as the starting quarterback due to Savage being out with a concussion . Osweiler started in the Divisional Playoffs game against the New England Patriots , throwing three interceptions in the second half . The Texans lost 34 -- 16 . Team identity ( edit ) Nickname ( edit ) On March 2 , 2000 , Houston NFL 2002 announced that the team name search had been narrowed down to five choices : Apollos , Bobcats , Stallions , Texans , and Wildcatters . The list of names was determined after several months of research conducted jointly by Houston NFL 2002 and NFL Properties . An online survey regarding the name generated more than 65,000 responses in just seven days . On September 6 , 2000 , the NFL 's 32nd franchise was officially christened the Houston Texans before thousands at a downtown rally in Houston . McNair explained that the name and logo `` embody the pride , strength , independence and achievement that make the people of Houston and our area special . '' The nickname `` Texans '' was more recently used by the now - defunct Canadian Football League franchise in San Antonio ; the Texans had previously been the name of a former World Football League franchise in Houston , which moved to Louisiana to become the Shreveport Steamer ; the Dallas Texans of the NFL which only played in the 1952 season ; and the nickname was also used by the precursor of the present - day Kansas City Chiefs , when they were the Dallas Texans of the American Football League ( AFL ) . Owner Bob McNair did have to make a deal with Chiefs ' owner Lamar Hunt to use the Texans nickname for his new team . Logo and uniforms ( edit ) Along with the team name , McNair also unveiled the team logo , an abstract depiction of a bull 's head , split in such a way to resemble the flag of Texas and the state of Texas , including a lone star to stand for the eye , the five points of which representing pride , courage , strength , tradition and independence . McNair described the colors as `` Deep Steel Blue '' , `` Battle Red '' and `` Liberty White '' . A year later the Texans unveiled their uniforms during another downtown rally . The Texans ' helmet is dark blue with the Texans bull logo . The helmet was initially white when the team name and logo were unveiled , but was later changed to dark blue . The uniform design consists of red trim and either dark blue or white jerseys . The team typically wears white pants with its blue jerseys and blue pants with its white jerseys . Starting with the 2006 season , the Texans wear all - white for their home opener , and the team began to wear an all - blue combination for home games vs. the Indianapolis Colts . In 2003 , the Texans introduced an alternative red jersey with blue trim ; they wear this jersey at one home game each year , usually against a division rival . In 2007 , the Texans introduced red pants for the first time , pairing them with the red jerseys for an all - red look ( this uniform combination was not well - received and has since been retired ) . In October 2008 the Texans paired blue socks ( instead of the traditional red ) with their blue pants and white jerseys . In 2016 , the Texans unveiled a new uniform combo against the Jacksonville Jaguars , pairing the red jersey with blue pants and red socks . In 2017 , the Texans wear the color rush uniform with all navy blue . In 2002 , the team wore a patch commemorating their inaugural season . Also , they celebrated 10 years as a franchise by wearing an anniversary patch throughout 2012 . Mascots and Cheerleaders ( edit ) The team 's official mascot is Toro . The team also has a cheerleading squad simply named the Houston Texans Cheerleaders . Rivalries ( edit ) This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( January 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) The Texans are the youngest franchise in the NFL , having only been competing in the NFL since 2002 . For most of that time , they were considered perennial bottom - dwellers in the AFC South . For that reason , they have not had the history or the reputation on which to build classic rivalries like the ones that often exist between older franchises . Tennessee Titans ( edit ) Main article : Texans -- Titans rivalry The Tennessee Titans , who were formerly the Houston Oilers before their relocation in the 1990s , are viewed by many Houston fans as the Texans ' chief rival . Other AFC South rivalries ( edit ) The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts , whom the Texans had never defeated in Indianapolis until the 2015 season , are Texans rivals in the AFC South . More recently , Houston has increased bitterness with the Indianapolis Colts due to their young Houston - native quarterback Andrew Luck having been drafted by the Colts in 2012 and the franchises first ever sweep of the Colts against Luck in 2016 . Cincinnati Bengals ( edit ) The Texans have also developed a somewhat close rivalry with the Cincinnati Bengals , starting in 2011 , when young Bengals quarterback and Houston - area native Andy Dalton led the Bengals to the playoffs only to be stopped short by the Texans two years in a row . ( In 2011 , the Texans had clinched their playoff spot , the first ever for the franchise , with a regular - season victory in Cincinnati . In 2016 , they clinched the division with a regular - season victory in Houston . ) The two teams have competitive bitter matchups in the regular season too , including the 3 - 5 Texans ' upset road victory over the until - then undefeated Bengals on Monday Night Football on November 16 , 2015 . After the game , star defensive end J.J. Watt stated in a post-game interview that the Texans defense made the `` Red Rifle '' ( nickname given to Dalton for his signature red hair ) look like a `` Red Ryder BB Gun . '' On the Christmas Eve game on Saturday Night , former Texans kicker Randy Bullock ( who was cut from the Texans in 2015 ) was playing in his first game for the Bengals when in 5 seconds left of the game . He kicks the potential game - winning field goal wide right leading the Texans to win 12 - 10 and win the AFC South and the # 4 seed in the playoffs . New Orleans Saints ( edit ) The Texans also have state border rivalry with the New Orleans Saints , with whom they contest every year ( either in the preseason or the regular season ) . Ever since 2005 , following a mass evacuation of New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina 's devastation , the rivalry has grown stronger due to many or the New Orleans fans former residents staying in Houston permanently . The teams generally host joint practices against each other during week preceding the pre-season match up as well . Dallas Cowboys ( edit ) Main article : Governor 's Cup ( Texas ) The Texans also have an intrastate rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys , with whom they contest the so - called Governor 's Cup every year ( either in the preseason or the regular season ) for bragging rights in the state of Texas . In 2017 , the destruction and flooding caused during Hurricane Harvey a few days before their Week 4 pre-season match up time scheduled caused the game to be relocated to AT&T Stadium in Arlington , Texas . However , out of concern for the safety of the fans and the condition of the player 's families & communities , the game was cancelled . Statistics ( edit ) Main article : Houston Texans records Win -- loss record ( edit ) As of the end of the 2016 season , the Texans ' overall regular season win - loss record is 106 -- 134 (. 442 ) . The Texans notched the 100th regular season win in their history when they defeated the Tennessee Titans on October 2 , 2016 . The Texans posted their best - ever season record in 2012 , finishing at 12 -- 4 . The team 's worst - ever seasons on record are 2 -- 14 , in both 2005 and 2013 . Most recently , the Texans finished 9 -- 7 in 2016 , winning the AFC South for the fourth time in franchise history and second season in a row . The Texans are 3 -- 4 (. 429 ) all - time in playoff games . All four of the Texans ' playoff berths were as a result of winning the AFC South division championship . The Texans have a 3 - 1 record all - time in Wild Card Round games but have lost all three games they have played in the Divisional Round . In 2016 this trend continued as the Texans defeated the Oakland Raiders 27 - 14 in a Wild Card game at home , but then were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots 34 - 16 in the Divisional Round the following weekend . Notable Records vs. opponents ( edit ) As members of the AFC South , the Texans play 6 of their 16 regular season games against other AFC South teams . As of the end of the 2016 season , the Texans have a cumulative record of 40 - 50 (. 444 ) against their three divisional rivals : 19 -- 11 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars ; 14 -- 16 versus the Tennessee Titans ; and 7 -- 23 versus the Indianapolis Colts . The Texans have fared slightly better against the rest of the AFC , posting a regular season record of 41 - 49 (. 456 ) against AFC teams from divisions other than the South , with a 14 -- 16 record against AFC East teams , 14 -- 16 against AFC North teams , and 13 -- 17 against AFC West teams . The Texans are 25 -- 35 (. 417 ) against NFC teams , tallying a 4 -- 12 record against NFC East teams , 8 -- 8 against NFC North teams , 9 - 7 against NFC South teams , and 4 -- 8 against NFC West teams . As of the end of the 2016 season , there is one team against which the Texans have never lost : the Chicago Bears ( 4 -- 0 ) . There are also two teams which the Texans have never beaten : the Minnesota Vikings ( 0 -- 4 ) and Philadelphia Eagles ( 0 -- 4 ) . According to the NFL 's scheduling formula , the Texans ' next regular - season game against the Eagles will be in 2018 , and their next regular season games against the Bears and Vikings will occur in 2020 . NFL playoffs record ( edit ) Main articles : 2011 -- 12 NFL playoffs , 2012 -- 13 NFL playoffs , 2015 -- 16 NFL playoffs , and 2016 -- 17 NFL playoffs Players of note ( edit ) Main article : List of Houston Texans players Current roster ( edit ) <Th_colspan="10"> Houston Texans roster view talk Quarterbacks 3 Tom Savage 4 Deshaun Watson Running backs 28 Alfred Blue 27 D'Onta Foreman 26 Lamar Miller 45 Jay Prosch FB 22 Jordan Todman KR Wide receivers 12 Bruce Ellington 15 Will Fuller 10 DeAndre Hopkins 13 Braxton Miller 14 Chris Thompson Tight ends 89 Stephen Anderson 84 Ryan Griffin Offensive linemen 79 Jeff Allen G 74 Chris Clark T 70 Julién Davenport T 61 Kyle Fuller C 68 Breno Giacomini T 64 Dorian Johnson G 63 Kendall Lamm T 65 Greg Mancz C 66 Nick Martin C 71 Xavier Su'a - Filo G Defensive linemen 95 Christian Covington DE 92 Brandon Dunn NT 93 Joel Heath DE 96 Kendall Langford DE 98 D.J. Reader NT 91 Carlos Watkins DE Linebackers 90 Jadeveon Clowney OLB 51 Dylan Cole ILB 41 Zach Cunningham ILB 50 Ben Heeney ILB 58 Lamarr Houston OLB 44 Jelani Jenkins ILB 94 Ufomba Kamalu OLB 55 Benardrick McKinney ILB 52 Brian Peters ILB 57 Brennan Scarlett OLB Defensive backs 31 Treston Decoud CB 23 Kurtis Drummond SS 21 Marcus Gilchrist FS 29 Andre Hal FS 25 Kareem Jackson CB 30 Kevin Johnson CB 24 Johnathan Joseph CB 43 Corey Moore FS 35 Eddie Pleasant SS 40 Marcus Williams CB Special teams 7 Ka'imi Fairbairn K 9 Shane Lechler P 46 Jon Weeks LS Reserve lists 76 Duane Brown OT ( Did Not Report ) 56 Brian Cushing ILB ( Susp . ) 34 Tyler Ervin RB ( IR ) 87 C.J. Fiedorowicz TE ( IR ) 69 Matthew Godin DE ( IR ) 16 Deanté Gray WR ( IR ) 59 Whitney Mercilus OLB ( IR ) 72 Derek Newton OT ( PUP ) 99 J.J. Watt DE ( IR ) Practice squad 97 Chunky Clements NT 47 Kennan Gilchrist ILB 17 Cobi Hamilton WR 37 Bryce Jones CB 54 LaTroy Lewis OLB 53 Gimel President OLB 85 MyCole Pruitt TE 77 David Quessenberry G 62 Chad Slade G 32 Dee Virgin CB Rookies in italics Roster updated October 25 , 2017 Depth chart Transactions 53 Active , 9 Inactive , 10 Practice squad → AFC rosters → NFC rosters <Td_colspan="10"> AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LAC OAK NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA NFL draft history ( edit ) Further information : Houston Texans draft history First - round draft picks by year ( edit ) Further information : List of Houston Texans first - round draft picks = Pro Bowler * Asterisk indicates a player who was selected to the Pro Bowl only as a member of another team . Year Pick Player Position College 2002 1st overall David Carr QB Fresno State 2003 3rd overall Andre Johnson WR Miami ( FL ) 10th overall Dunta Robinson CB South Carolina 27th overall Jason Babin * DE Western Michigan 2005 16th overall Travis Johnson DT Florida State 2006 1st overall Mario Williams DE North Carolina State 2007 10th overall Amobi Okoye DT Louisville 2008 26th overall Duane Brown OT Virginia Tech 2009 15th overall Brian Cushing LB Southern California 20th overall Kareem Jackson CB Alabama 2011 11th overall J.J. Watt DE Wisconsin 2012 26th overall Whitney Mercilus DE Illinois 2013 27th overall DeAndre Hopkins WR Clemson 2014 1st overall Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina 2015 16th overall Kevin Johnson CB Wake Forest 2016 21st overall Will Fuller WR Notre Dame 2017 12th overall Deshaun Watson QB Clemson Awards and honors ( edit ) Main article : List of Houston Texans awards and honors Coaches of note ( edit ) Head coaches ( edit ) Main article : List of Houston Texans head coaches Name Tenure Seasons <Th_colspan="3"> Record Division titles Dom Capers January 21 , 2001 -- January 2 , 2006 18 46 0 0 Gary Kubiak January 26 , 2006 -- December 6 , 2013 8 61 64 0 Wade Phillips December 6 , 2013 -- January 1 , 2014 Interim 0 0 0 Bill O'Brien January 2 , 2014 -- Present 29 23 0 Offensive coordinators ( edit ) Name Tenure Chris Palmer 2002 -- 2005 Troy Calhoun 2006 Mike Sherman 2007 Kyle Shanahan 2008 -- 2009 Rick Dennison 2010 -- 2013 Bill O'Brien 2014 George Godsey 2015 -- 2016 Bill O'Brien 2017 - Present Defensive coordinators ( edit ) Name Tenure Vic Fangio 2002 -- 2005 Richard Smith 2006 -- 2008 Frank Bush 2009 -- 2010 Wade Phillips 2011 -- 2013 Romeo Crennel 2014 -- 2016 Mike Vrabel 2017 -- present Current staff ( edit ) <Th_colspan="7"> Houston Texans staff <Td_colspan="7"> Front Office Founder / Chairman / CEO -- Bob McNair Vice Chairman -- D. Cal McNair Executive Vice President / General Manager -- Rick Smith President -- Jamey Rootes Vice President of Football Administration -- Chris Olsen Vice President of Football Operations -- Doug West Senior Personnel Advisor -- Bobby Grier Vice President of Player Personnel / Assistant General Manager - Jimmy Raye III Director of College Scouting -- Jon Carr Director of Pro Personnel - Rob Kisiel Director of Football Research -- Jim Bernhardt Assistant Director of College Scouting - Mike Martin Assistant Director of Pro Personnel -- Larry Wright Head Coaches Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator -- Bill O'Brien Assistant Head Coach / Defense -- Romeo Crennel Offensive Coaches Quarterbacks -- Sean Ryan Running Backs -- Charles London Wide Receivers -- John Perry Tight Ends -- Tim Kelly Offensive Line -- Mike Devlin Offensive Assistant / Quarterbacks -- Pat O'Hara Offensive Assistant / Offensive Line - Will Lawing Offensive / Special Teams assistant -- Wes Welker Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator -- Mike Vrabel Defensive Line -- Anthony Weaver Linebackers -- Bobby King Secondary -- John Butler Assistant Secondary -- Anthony Midget Defensive Assistant -- Shane Bowen Special Teams Coaches Special Teams Coordinator -- Larry Izzo Assistant Special Teams Coordinator -- Doug Colman Strength and Conditioning Head Strength and Conditioning -- Craig Fitzgerald Assistant Strength and Conditioning -- Ian Jones Assistant Strength and Conditioning -- Brian Bell → Coaching Staff → Management → More NFL staffs <Td_colspan="7"> AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LAC OAK NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA Traditions ( edit ) Battle Red Day -- On Battle Red Day the team wears the red alternate jerseys and fans are encouraged to wear red to the game . Starting in 2007 and including 2008 , this included the Texans wearing red pants along with the red jerseys . Bull Pen -- The sections behind the north end zone of NRG / Reliant Stadium are known as the Bull Pen . Some of the most avid Texans fans attend games in the Bull Pen and regular members have helped create and implement fan traditions , songs and chants , such as : - Holding up giant Texans jerseys while the visiting team 's players are announced - Turning their backs on the opposing team after they score - Gathering as a group for tailgating in the NW corner of the Platinum Lot of Reliant Stadium at the `` Blue Crew '' tailgate and conducting the Bull Pen Toast every game approximately an hour and a half prior to kickoff - Walking in the HEB Holiday Parade on Thanksgiving Day - Visiting the Bull Pen Pub for TORO Wraps , cheerleader autographs and to listen and dance with the Bull Pen Pep Band Bull Pen Pep Band -- 45 - member musical group that performs at all Houston Texans home games . Pre-Kickoff Tradition -- Before each kickoff at a home game , the Texans will run a short clip of a raging bull thrashing the opponent of the week . The video is paired with the AC / DC song `` Thunderstruck '' . Player Introduction -- When the players are introduced before the game , the announcer says the player 's first name and the crowd yells out the last name ( e.g. The announcer will say `` Linebacker Brian ... '' and the crowd will yell out `` CUSHING ! ! ! '' ) . Radio and television ( edit ) As of 2007 , the Texans ' flagship radio stations were KILT SportsRadio 610AM and KILT 100.3 FM . The AM station has an all - sports format , while the FM station plays contemporary country music . Both are owned by CBS Radio . Marc Vandermeer is the play - by - play announcer . Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware provides color commentary , and SportsRadio 610 host Rich Lord serves as the sideline reporter . Preseason games are telecast by KTRK , an ABC owned and operated station . Joel Meyers calls the preseason games on TV , with former Oilers running back Spencer Tillman providing color commentary . Regular season games are aired over CBS affiliate KHOU , FOX affiliate KRIV if the Texans host an NFC team , and NBC affiliate KPRC for Sunday night games . Spanish - language radio broadcasts of the team 's games are aired on KGOL ESPN Deportes 1180AM . Enrique Vásquez is the play - by - play announcer . José Jojo Padrón provides color commentary , and Fernando Hernández serves as sideline reporter . Radio affiliates ( edit ) Map of radio affiliates . Texans Radio Affiliates City Call sign Frequency Alpine KVLF - AM 1240 AM Amarillo KIXZ 940 AM Athens KLVQ - AM 1410 AM Austin KVET - AM 1300 AM Beaumont KIKR - AM 1450 AM Beaumont KBED - AM 1510 AM Big Spring KBYG - AM 1400 AM Brenham KWHI - AM 1280 AM Bryan KZNE - AM 1150 AM Carthage KGAS - AM 1590 AM College Station KZNE - AM 1150 AM Corpus Christi KSIX - AM 1230 AM Henderson KWRD - AM 1470 AM Houston KILT - AM 610 AM Houston KILT - FM 100.3 FM Levelland KLVT - AM 1230 AM Liberty KSHN - FM 99.9 FM Livingston KETX - FM 92.3 FM Lubbock KJDL - FM 105.3 FM Lufkin KSML - AM 1260 AM Marble Falls KBEY - FM 103.9 FM Marshall KMHT - AM 1450 AM Marshall KMHT - FM 103.9 FM McAllen KBUC - FM 102.1 FM Nacogdoches KSML - AM 1260 AM New Braunfels KGNB - AM 1420 AM Orange KOGT - AM 1600 AM San Angelo KKSA - AM 1260 AM San Antonio KZDC - AM 1250 AM San Marcos KGNB - AM 1420 AM Tyler KLVQ - AM 1410 AM Wichita Falls KSEY - AM 1230 AM Theme music ( edit ) The theme song of the Texans is `` It 's Football Time In Houston '' by Clay Walker . The Texans tried to introduce a new fight song in 2003 written by Chad Kroeger from Nickelback , but quickly returned to the original after a negative reception by fans . The song was donated by Walker to the city of Houston . The Texans ' defensive squad takes the field to the sound of `` Bulls on Parade '' by Rage Against the Machine . The Texans started using the song after former linebacker Connor Barwin coined the nickname in a tweet in 2011 . On January 5 , 2012 , local Houston rap artists Slim Thug , Paul Wall and ZRo released a song titled `` HOUSTON '' supporting the Houston Texans . The YouTube video has amassed over a million views becoming unofficially the Texans ' most popular theme song . `` Hats Off to the Bull '' by the hard rock band Chevelle has become another popular theme song of the entire team . It is frequently played at home games . Work in the community ( edit ) Community outreach by the Houston Texans is primarily operated by the Houston Texans Foundation , who works with multiple community partners . The Houston Texans organization is also a supporter of the character education program , Heart of a Champion . In 2017 , the 15th annual Houston Texans Charity Golf Classic raised more than $380,000 for the Foundation . More than $27.2 million has been raised for the Foundation since its creation in 2002 . See also ( edit ) Houston portal Texas portal Notes and references ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : `` Texans Team History '' . Houston Texans . Retrieved January 8 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Houston Texans Team Capsule '' ( PDF ) . 2016 Official National Football League Record and Fact Book . National Football League . July 15 , 2016 . Retrieved August 4 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Fingertip Information '' ( PDF ) . 2002 Houston Texans Media Guide . Houston Texans . 2002 . Retrieved April 8 , 2016 . Jump up ^ McClain , John ( August 19 , 2016 ) . `` How the Oilers left Houston and set the stage for the Texans '' . Houston Chronicle . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ McClain , John ( December 11 , 2011 ) . `` AFC South champion Texans reach playoffs for first time in dramatic fashion '' . Houston Chronicle . Retrieved March 30 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Team History '' . Pro Football Hall of fame . n.d . Retrieved August 13 , 2017 . ^ Jump up to : Powers , John ( December 10 , 2012 ) . `` Texans have climbed to the top of NFL '' . The Boston Globe . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Foster powers Texans to win over Bengals '' . Reuters Canada . January 7 , 2012 . Retrieved January 7 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Kolko , Dan ( January 15 , 2012 ) . `` Ravens slip past Texans 20 -- 13 , advance to AFC Championship '' . MASN Sports . Mid-Atlantic Sports Network . Archived from the original on January 19 , 2012 . Retrieved January 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` NFL Gamebook : HOU @ NE '' ( PDF ) . NFL . 2013 - 01 - 13 . Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 13 . Jump up ^ `` Texans hire Bill O'Brien as head coach '' . Houston Texans . January 3 , 2014 . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Mathews , Nick ( January 3 , 2014 ) . `` Bill O'Brien officially introduced as Texans new coach '' . Houston Chronicle . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Chiari , Mike ( October 27 , 2015 ) . `` Ryan Mallett Released by Texans '' . Bleacher Report . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Rosenthal , Gregg ( March 9 , 2016 ) . `` Brock Osweiler agrees in principle to $72 M Texans deal '' . National Football League . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Sidhu , Deepi ( January 7 , 2017 ) . `` Texans defeat Raiders in Wild Card game '' . NFL.com . Retrieved January 10 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Patriots top Texans , move on to AFC Championship '' . NFL.com . Retrieved January 16 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Franchise nicknames '' . Pro Football Hall of Fame . January 1 , 2005 . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . ^ Jump up to : `` McNair unveils name , logo for Houston '' . National Football League . September 6 , 2000 . Archived from the original on November 9 , 2000 . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` TORO bio '' ( PDF ) . Houston Texans . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Texans Cheerleaders '' . HoustonTexans.com . Retrieved 2012 - 09 - 03 . Jump up ^ Sidhu , Deepi ( December 11 , 2016 ) . `` Texans sweep Colts with 22 - 17 win '' . Houston Texans . Retrieved September 6 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Houston Texans Head - to - Head Records - Pro-Football-Reference.com '' . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Jump up ^ `` Texans May Go Back to Clay Walker Song '' . Associated Press . 14 August 2003 . Retrieved 1 March 2010 . Jump up ^ `` 20 Questions with Clay Walker ( Part 2 ) '' . CMT . Retrieved 2 March 2010 . Jump up ^ Balke , Jeff ( December 5 , 2011 ) . `` Bulls on Parade : Ten Songs for Ten Texans Players and One for the Team '' . Houston Press . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Scurfield , Nick ( December 4 , 2011 ) . `` Bulls on Parade : A nickname is born '' . Houston Texans . Archived from the original on December 8 , 2011 . Retrieved September 2 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` HoustonTexans.com -- Houston Texans Foundation '' . Jump up ^ `` Our Partners '' . Heart of a Champion . Retrieved 8 January 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Houston Texans Charity Golf Classic a big hit ! '' . Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 10 . External links ( edit ) Wikimedia Commons has media related to Houston Texans . Official website <Th_colspan="2"> Houston Texans <Td_colspan="2"> Founded in 2002 Based and headquartered in Houston , Texas Franchise History Seasons Coaches Players Starting quarterbacks 2002 Expansion draft First - round draft picks Draft selections Records Awards and Honors Pro Bowl selections Stadiums NRG Stadium Culture and lore Toro `` Bulls on Parade '' Bull Pen Pep Band Battle Red Day Cheerleaders `` Queasy Rider '' ( King of the Hill episode ) Rivalries Tennessee Titans Dallas Cowboys Division championships ( 4 ) 2011 2012 2015 2016 Playoff appearances ( 4 ) 2011 2012 2015 2016 Key personnel Owner : Bob McNair General Manager : Rick Smith Head Coach : Bill O'Brien Media Broadcasters Fox Sports Houston KTRK - TV KILT - AM KILT - FM Current league affiliations League : National Football League Conference : American Football Conference Division : South Division Seasons ( 16 ) 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 <Th_colspan="2"> Links to related articles <Td_colspan="2"> <Th_colspan="2"> National Football League ( 2017 ) AFC <Td_colspan="2"> <Td_colspan="1"> East <Td_colspan="1"> North <Td_colspan="1"> South <Td_colspan="1"> West Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Oakland Raiders NFC <Td_colspan="2"> <Td_colspan="1"> East <Td_colspan="1"> North <Td_colspan="1"> South <Td_colspan="1"> West Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks <Td_colspan="2"> Seasons Seasons ( by team ) Preseason Hall of Fame Game American Bowl Regular season Kickoff game Monday Night Football International Series Thanksgiving games Christmas games Playoffs Streaks Droughts AFC Championship NFC Championship Super Bowl champions quarterbacks Pro Bowl History League history Executive history Championship history AFL Championship ( 1960 -- 1969 ) NFL Championship ( 1920 -- 1969 ) Playoff Bowl Other Owners Officials Properties Stadiums ( chronology ) Timeline Defunct franchises Franchise moves and mergers Los Angeles team history Records individual team Super Bowl All time win -- loss Last undefeated Awards All - Pro Numbers ( retired ) Hall of Fame Lore Nicknames AFL Merger International Foreign players London Toronto Bills Series List of games played outside the U.S. Media TV NFL Network Radio Management Council Competition Committee Collective Bargaining Agreement NFLPA Player conduct Suspensions Player misconduct Combine Draft Training camp Rivalries NFL Foundation Tied games Canceled games Lockouts Controversies Cheerleading Mascots Color Rush <Th_colspan="2"> Sports teams based in Texas Baseball MLB Houston Astros Texas Rangers PCL El Paso Chihuahuas Round Rock Express TL Corpus Christi Hooks Frisco RoughRiders Midland RockHounds San Antonio Missions AA Cleburne Railroaders Texas AirHogs ALPB Sugar Land Skeeters PL Alpine Cowboys SWL Royse City Griffins Waco BlueCats Basketball NBA Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets San Antonio Spurs G League Austin Spurs Rio Grande Valley Vipers Texas Legends WNBA Dallas Wings ABA Dallas Impact IBL Texas Lone Star Strikers Football NFL Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans CIF Amarillo Venom Dallas Marshals Texas Revolution LFL Austin Acoustic WFA Arlington Impact Austin Outlaws Dallas Elite Houston Power IWFL Austin Yellow Jackets Houston Energy San Antonio Regulators South Texas Lady Crushers Hockey NHL Dallas Stars AHL San Antonio Rampage Texas Stars ECHL Allen Americans NAHL Amarillo Bulls Corpus Christi IceRays Lone Star Brahmas Odessa Jackalopes NA3HL Mid-Cities Junior Stars Texas Jr . 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Austin TCU Texas Texas A&M A&M - Corpus Christi Texas Southern Texas State Texas Tech UTA UTSA UTEP UTRGV <Th_colspan="3"> City of Houston <Td_colspan="3"> Nickname : Space City Topics Architecture Climate Culture Demographics Economy Geography History Timeline Media Newspapers Transportation Sister cities Attractions Art Car Parade Bayou Place Comicpalooza Discovery Green Downtown Aquarium Free Press Summer Fest The Galleria Hermann Park Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Houston Zoo Kemah Boardwalk Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark Memorial Park Museum District The Orange Show San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site Space Center Houston Splashtown Texas Medical Center Theater District Waterwall Park Business Districts Downtown Uptown Texas Medical Center Greenway Plaza Energy Corridor Westchase Memorial City Greenspoint See also : List of companies in Houston Communities Acres Homes Addicks Alief Almeda Bordersville Boulevard Oaks Braeburn Braeswood Place Brays Oaks Blue Ridge Chinatown Clear Lake City Denver Harbor East Downtown East End East Houston Fairbanks Forum Park Genoa Glenbrook Valley Gulfton Harrisburg Hiram Clarke Houston Heights Independence Heights Inwood Forest Kingwood Link Valley Lower Westheimer Magnolia Park Mahatma Gandhi District Maplewood Memorial Meyerland Midtown Montrose District Museum District Neartown Near Northwest North Shore Northside Oak Forest River Oaks Riverside Terrace Southwest Management District South Park Spring Branch Sunnyside Upper Kirby Historic wards First Ward Second Ward Third Ward Fourth Ward Fifth Ward Sixth Ward Education State universities University of Houston University of Houston -- Clear Lake University of Houston -- Downtown Texas Southern University Private universities Houston Baptist University Rice University University of St. Thomas Community colleges Houston Community College Lone Star College San Jacinto College Lee College K - 12 school districts Houston ISD Aldine ISD Alief ISD Spring Branch ISD Clear Creek ISD Cy - Fair ISD Fort Bend ISD Galena Park ISD Humble ISD Katy ISD Pasadena ISD Spring ISD Huffman ISD New Caney ISD See : List of colleges and universities in Houston Government City Council Fire Mayors Police Politics Neighborhoods Afton Oaks Brentwood Briargrove Park Briarhills Broadacres City Park Clinton Park Cloverland Corinthian Pointe Cottage Grove Crestwood / Glen Cove Eastwood Garden Oaks Glenshire Highland Village Houston Gardens Idylwood Kashmere Gardens Knollwood Village Lakes of Parkway Larchmont Magnolia Grove Montrose Morningside Place Near North Side Nottingham Forest Old Braeswood Parkway Villages Pecan Park Port Houston Rice Military Richmond Strip Robindell Royal Oaks Country Club Sagemont Scenic Woods Settegast Shadyside Sharpstown Shenandoah Somerset Green Southampton Southbelt / Ellington Southcrest Southgate Stablewood St. George Place ( Lamar Terrace ) Sunset Terrace / Montclair Tanglewood University Oaks Village at Glen Iris Walnut Bend Westbury West End West Oaks Westwood ( subdivision ) Westmoreland Willow Meadows Willowbend Windsor Village Woodland Heights Sports Houston Astros Houston Dash Houston Dynamo Houston Rockets Houston Texans Scrap Yard Dawgs <Td_colspan="3"> Harris County Houston -- The Woodlands -- Sugar Land Metro Texas United States Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Houston_Texans&oldid=807248614 '' Categories : Houston Texans American football teams in Texas National Football League teams Sports clubs established in 2002 2002 establishments in Texas Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from January 2017 All articles needing additional references Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2007 All articles containing potentially dated statements Talk Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская Български Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 26 October 2017 , at 20 : 35 . 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