Rookie tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is working hard to earn a starting job.
It's something he hasn't had to do for several years.
"At Iowa, I was a starter for three years, so I had someone on my heels the whole time, but now I'm on someone else's heels," Fiedorowicz said. "I'm trying to get on that field, get the trust of the coaches, come in here every day and be the same guy, and work hard."
Fiedorowicz, who looks up to All-Pro tight ends Tony Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski, wants to be a dual-threat tight end in the Texans offense. Each day, the third-round draft pick stays after to work on his pass catching, something he wasn't expected to do too much of in college.
"At Iowa, I did a lot of run-blocking just because that's what Big Ten and Iowa football is all about, but Coach O'Brien likes to use the tight-ends in the pass-game and hopefully, my number gets called," Fiedorowicz said.
The Texans third-round draft pick is now fully immersed in the Texans playbook. The tight ends have one of the "hardest positions to learn" because of the involvement in all parts of the game, according to head coach Bill O'Brien, and Fiedorowicz can see why.
"Overall, you have to know protections, you have to know the run game, you have to know what the offensive line is doing, what the receivers are doing; you just have to know the ins and outs of the offense really," Fiedorowicz said. "I don't think people really realize that, but that's my job as a tight end. I knew that I had that responsibility and I take full responsibility for it."
