David Quessenberry's NFL debut came on the Texans primetime Christmas Day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The offensive lineman, diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma during OTAs in 2014, had an emotional return to the football field.
"It was everything I dreamed of when I was going through my treatments," Quessenberry said. "Getting out there and playing a full-speed game today was exactly how I had hoped it to be."
The Texans elevated Quessenberry from the practice squad to the active roster last week. Quessenberry not only was active for his first regular season game, he was also named team captain. Despite the 34-6 loss to Pittsburgh, Quessenberry's return was a bright spot for the Texans.
"What else can you say about that guy? That guy was in tough shape not too long ago, and for him to come back and play in an NFL game is an incredible thing if you ask me," O'Brien said. "So, I thought it was appropriate to make him a captain. I just let Lech (Shane Lechler) go out there to do the talking because Quess (David Quessenberry) hadn't been out there. So, I let Lech out there to do the talking."
Quessenberry spent the past three seasons on the Reserve/Non-Football Illness list. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, he suffered a season-ending foot injury before the start of his rookie campaign. Being in the same rookie class, DeAndre Hopkins has seen first-hand the adversity Quessenberry has overcome to play football again.
"Everybody in this locker room feeds off of his energy," Hopkins said. "What he went through to come out and still be able to come and be part of this team everyday like nothing happened to him, everybody feeds off of his energy, honestly. I don't know if he knows it, but everybody in this locker room looks up to him."
OL David Quessenberry made his NFL debut after overcoming a three-year battle with cancer.
