For the first time since he left for college, Brennan Scarlett is sitting down to dinner with his family each night in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. The five of them include Brennan, his parents, Paul and Suzy Scarlett, brother Cam and sister Isabella.
"Eating together and having conversations and, you know, just getting to know each other on a deeper level, because obviously, growing up with one another, parents and siblings in the same household, that relationship changes, once I left for college" Scarlett said. "But then coming back now, as all adults now sitting around the dinner table, it's been interesting to get to know each other on that level."
Scarlett, like all NFL athletes right now during the COVID-19 pandemic, is spending the offseason working out and training remotely since NFL team facilities are closed around the league. The Texans began their virtual offseason program on April 27 and ended May 15.
After going undrafted out of Stanford in 2016, Scarlett signed a contract extension with the Texans last August. The outside linebacker played in 15 games with 10 starts and established single-season career highs in total tackles (48), tackles for loss (three), sacks (3.5), quarterback hits (six) and forced fumbles (two). He also added one pass defensed and three special teams tackles.
Now, heading into Year 5, Scarlett has gotten to know himself a little better too, outlining his goals for the 2020 season.
"I think every year is just improving my knowledge of the game," Scarlett said. "You know, as I line up for every snap, having an idea of the tendency of my opponents from whoever that particular opponent is in that given moment. But then also it just generally from a football perspective, just understanding the game better. Situationally, it's something that I've continued to try to improve. And then on top of that, it's always keeping the body right. Whether fitness or health, the mobility and flexibility of my body is really important to me. And then beyond that, you know, you start getting into technique and pass rush to make sure you stop run, and strike and all those things that make, a great outside linebacker which is what I what I want to be."
