Here's everything from DeMeco Ryans' first press conference of 2025 as the Houston Texans prepare to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 18's finale at Nissan Stadium.
Thoughts to New Orleans
“First off, I would like to start by saying, as an organization, our thoughts and prayers are with all those families affected by the tragedy that happened in New Orleans. Hate to see that for anyone and it’s just hard to see what happened there. So, we’re praying for those families affected and for the city of New Orleans.”
On the things they can do to improve the run game going into the playoffs
“With our running game. What we can do to get it going is just staying with it and making sure we just sustain our blocks. I think it’s just about how we finish on our blocks when we’re on people, can we stay attached and can we finish? Especially at the second level. Can we be on guys and finish the proper way? Allowing for those run lanes to increase and our backs continuing to hit it playing fast, that’ll help us in the run game.”
On what he has liked about WR Diontae Johnson so far
“Diontae, he’s come in and he’s put his head down and he’s worked. He’s working hard to catch up with the playbook and the things that we’re asking him to do. And again, this is really, what? Second day out practicing with us? So, he’s picking it up pretty fast and we’ll try to put him in situations where we can utilize him and utilize his strengths.”
On how they go about moving players around on the offensive line with the injuries they have had this season
“With our offensive line just having Shaq [Mason] out for the amount of time that he’s been out, we just – we’ll continue to move guys around and see what combination works best for us. So, we’ll see different guys in different spots and still just trying to make sure we get our best guys out there to help us. We play well when we play well up front on both sides of the football. Football is won always up front and so we’ll continue to mix guys up there. Try to solidify protection, run game, all those things. If those guys play well, everyone around them plays well.”
On the plan for LB Azeez Al-Shaair and what he wants to see from him now that he will get reps
“It has been three weeks since he’s been able to get out there and play, so it’s just a matter of getting back out, hitting guys, getting used to hitting the ground again, getting up, making sure everything is still – it takes reps and real live reps when you miss this much – the time that he’s missed, you have to get that real live action. And that’s what he needs. Getting back to it – he’s excited to get back out there and play for us and we’re excited to have him back. We’ve really missed his leadership, missed his communication, not only on the defensive side, but for our entire team. So, I’m fired up to have him back for us.”
On what he thinks about LB Azeez Al-Shaair’s conversation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during his suspension
“I think Azeez, he’s handled himself really well throughout this entire suspension and that’s just him, just a matter of, from my perspective, of making sure that he talks to the powers that be in the NFL, so they can really, truly understand who he is as a man.”
On what he has learned about the team and himself going into their final regular season contest
"I think the one thing I’ve learned about our team is our guys, they continue to be tight, they continue to grow tighter as the season grows longer. We’ve been at it longer than anybody with the Hall of Fame game starting out earlier than everybody. So, we’ve been going at football for a long time now. And I really like just the resolve of our team and how we’ve continued to grow and mature throughout the season, throughout the ups and downs, which happen to every team throughout a season. I feel like our guys have handled that well and they’ve rebounded, they’ve responded when things haven’t gone the right way for us. We’re learning how to win games in different ways and fashions. That’s where we are as a team, that’s what it takes in this league to have that resilience and that’s what I think our team is. I’ve learned our team is tight. Our team has the resilience that we need to have to be a good team moving forward.”
On how QB C.J. Stroud has grown as a leader this season
“Going throughout the season, I think our young guys have – that second year is where you learn what it truly takes to be a pro and those things are not only on the field, but off the field. What are you doing? How are you conducting yourself when you’re away from the building? What does it take preparation when you’re here in the building? I think that second year, third year, that’s when guys truly get their routine of what truly works for them and you have to lean on veteran guys and you have to also just grow through it. You have to make some – you have to hit some bumps along the road as a young player to understand your routine. We’ve all been there as young players and you have to figure out that routine. It doesn’t happen instantly and you continue to grow and finetune that routine of what works for you as you get further along in your career.”
On what he thinks CB Derek Stingley Jr. has done this season to be put into Pro Bowl conversations
“Stingley has played good ball for us. He’s made a lot of plays, taking the ball away. I think people have recognized what he’s able to do around the league. I think he has the respect of his peers, coaches around the league. They see the growth. They see how he’s stepped up and took on some tough challenges throughout the year. So, he deserves whatever credit that he’s getting. I think it matters most when it’s coming from your peers and coaches around the league. People who are constantly watching film, diving in and they know how they truly know how guys are playing and how they are helping their teams and I think Stingley has earned that respect around the league.”
