The Texans have five team captains for the 2022 regular season.
On Wednesday morning Head Coach Lovie Smith huddled the team together on the practice fields at the Houston Methodist Training Center, and shared that Davis Mills, Brandin Cooks, Jerry Hughes, Christian Kirksey and Jon Weeks will be the captains this year.
Smith said the players voted on Monday.
"Whenever you get to selecting captains, we started the process way back when, first meeting," Smith said. "Teammates have gotten an opportunity to see guys they want representing them on and off the football field for a long period of time."
Mills, a second-year quarterback, and the veteran wide receiver Cooks are the two representatives for the offense.
"That's saying an awful lot about them," Smith said. "They do it the right way. They lead the right way on and off the football field."
Hughes, who enters year 13 as a defensive end in the NFL, has been with the club since May, while Kirksey will be the middle linebacker for the second year as a Texan. Smith emphasized how things go better for teams who's 'mike linebacker' is also a captain.
The head coach also highlighted the "impact" Hughes instantly had on his teammates, and how impressive it was to be a captain, despite the fact he's "only been in the building for less than a year."
The franchise leader in games played, and a Pro Bowler at long snapper, Weeks has started 193 straight contests since signing with the club in the 2010 offseason. Smith pointed out how Weeks "has been good at his position for a long period of time."
Each member of that quintet will wear a captain's "C" patch on the front of their jerseys.
"I like those five guys for representing us," Smith said. "Also, the amount of other teammates that got votes that I could easily have seen in those leadership roles, that's another step along the way."
The Texans practice again on Thursday and Friday, and host the Colts in Week 1 this Sunday at noon inside NRG Stadium.
