There is no time for complacency or entitlement.
Head coach Bill O'Brien met with the Texans on Monday morning and shared his expectations for the squad in between now and mid-April, when the offseason program begins for the players at NRG Stadium.
"I said, 'I would not take too much time off.,'" O'Brien shared, during his Monday press conference. "The more time that you waste on the couch doing nothing, the more time someone else is getting ahead of you.'"
O'Brien and the Texans were bounced from the playoffs after Saturday night's 34-16 defeat in New England. The next three months, according to the head coach, are critical to next autumn's success on the field.
"They have to figure out, 'OK I'm going to take a little time to reconnect with my family, get better, you know heal up, but then I'm going to get back to work and figure out what I need to do to be better," O'Brien said. "How can I improve my skill set, which then improves the team.' "
O'Brien, though, made sure to point out that the Texans are already in the right frame of mind when it comes to preparation.
"We have a very hard working group of guys," O'Brien said.
The Texans went 9-7 for the third straight season, and their 2016 AFC South title was the fourth division crown in the last six years.
The Houston Texans roster in photos. (Updated 2/26/2021)
ILB, Tyrell Adams #50
TE, Jordan Akins, 88
DT, Auzoyah Alufohai, #98
P, Bryan Anger, 9
CB, Cornell Armstrong, 30
C/G, Beau Benzschawel #62
DT, Ross Blacklock #90
ILB, Curtis Bolton #47
DT, Andrew Brown, #97
TE Pharaoh Brown #85
C, Cohl Cabral #72
WR, Randall Cobb #18
ILB, Dylan Cole, 51
CB, Gareon Conley, 22
WR, Brandin Cooks #13
WR, Isaiah Coulter #82
WR, Keke Coutee, 16
CB, Keion Crossen, 35
ILB, Zach Cunningham, 41
DE, Brandon Dunn, 92
OLB, Duke Ejiofor, 53
ILB, Kyle Emanuel, 56
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, 7
TE, Darren Fells, 87
CB, Mark Fields II #39
G, Hjalte Froholdt #77
OL, Zach Fulton, 73
CB, Phillip Gaines #29
FB, Cullen Gillaspia, 44
OLB, Jonathan Greenard #52
ILB, Nate Hall, 48
NT, P.J. Hall #96
WR, Chad Hansen, #17
CB, Vernon Hargreaves III #26
T, Charlie Heck #67
RB, Dontrell Hilliard, #22
OL, Tytus Howard, 71
RB, Buddy Howell, 38
RB, David Johnson #31
CB, Lonnie Johnson, Jr., 32
T, Roderick Johnson #63
LS, Anthony Kukwa #45
LB, Jacob Martin, 54
QB, AJ McCarron #2
QB, Josh McCown, 3
LB, Benardrick McKinney, 55
OLB, Whitney Mercilus, 59
WR, Steven Mitchell, Jr., 11
S, A.J. Moore, 33
S Eric Murray #23
DE, Charles Omenihu, 94
S, Jonathan Owens, 36
RB, Scottie Phillips, #40
G/T Brent Qvale #76
WR, Damion Ratley, #19
CB, John Reid #34
S, Justin Reid, 20
OLB, Brennan Scarlett, 57
OL, Max Scharping, 74
S, Michael Thomas #28
TE, Kahale Warring, 81
DL, Carlos Watkins, 91
QB, Deshaun Watson, 4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
