The Houston Texans team facility has gotten a bit of a facelift since the last time Case Keenum walked into NRG Stadium for a workout. In eight years, everything, from the locker room, meeting rooms, weight room and café, has undergone major renovations.
"It's an incredible time to come into the Houston Texans organization and where our leadership is committed to moving forward, to getting better," Keenum said on Texans All Access. "I mean, truly, there are no holds barred here with the staff and what the amount of technology they have here, the amount of staff who's here literally just to take care of us and help us get better every day, from nutrition to strength to sports performance to the technology side of that, to the training room, to the return to play."
Keenum isn't the only one impressed.
The NFLPA surveyed nearly 1,300 players and gave out team report cards based on the results. Players were asked to evaluate their club in eight categories: treatment of families, food service/nutrition, weight room, strength coaches, training room, training staff, locker room and team travel.
Houston was voted No. 4 overall and tied for first with an A+ in two categories: training staff and team travel.
"We're constantly looking at everything to try to improve with the end goal of doing what is best for the organization and also prioritizing what's most important for the players," General Manager Nick Caserio said. "Are we providing the players the requisite resources available to them so they can be as successful as possible? I think we're trying to do that. We've made I would say considerable effort in that regard. I know it's secondhand, but in the spring I would say some of the commentary from the NFLPA, from the players about some of the things going on in the building, I think that's a reflection of the people that are in the building, and just always trying to do things in a positive, professional way that serves the players in the best capacity possible."
The team nutrition, tied for eighth in the NFL, has gotten a lot of love recently too. QB C.J. Stroud, the Texans No. 2 overall draft pick, gushed about the food in the café after his initial team visit.
"The food in the cafeteria was very good, which I'm very excited," Stroud said last week. "Like it's bomb. Even the water is good. So yeah, I'm excited for everything."
Ladd Harris, Director of Team Wellness, brings in a variety of foods to accommodate players' dietary needs and restrictions. Keenum is a big fan and credits the McNair family for all the improvements and upgrades.
"They're killing it in the in the cafeteria here," Keenum said. "From what we fuel our bodies with, man, the nutrition, it is incredible. And I've now been around the league and seen how a lot of other organizations do it and to see what they've been able to do here, not just facilities-wise, but with the staff. I feel like the McNairs have said, hey, whatever it costs, let's go do it. You know, whoever we need to get here, let's get the best here and they have and it shows."
