Offensive guard Chester Pitts said he will not eat too much on Thanksgiving because he has to make weight Friday.
Thanksgiving usually means big turkey dinners, time with the family and lots of football watching. For Texans players, it's not much different. Here's a look at how several guys on the team are spending their day of thanks.
Guard Chester Pitts
How much he'll eat: "I'm not going to go too crazy. You can't get after it like you want to. We've a game to play Sunday, but I eat a little turkey, a little dressing."
The definition of "a little turkey":"A little turkey. We've still got to weigh in on Friday – don't want to miss weight. But I'll have fun spending some time with my family."
What he's thankful for:"I'm thankful for just everything. I'm a pretty blessed individual and I appreciate everything I have. I'm thankful for it every day, not just on Thanksgiving, but that's it – my family's healthy, I'm healthy, everything's alright, so no complaints out of me."
Tight end Mark Bruener
How much he'll eat:"Oh, hey, I'm just a regular Joe. I don't eat anything close to what Ephraim (Salaam) or Chester will eat. Those guys eat enough for four people. I'll just have my normal two plates and some dessert and call it a day."
Where he'll be:"My wife's parents are in town. They came in from Seattle, so we get the opportunity to have grandma and grandpa at the house, which is just amazing. And we're going to have some friends come over probably later on. It's always a special day at our house."
If he'll cook:"No, I don't attempt to go into that arena. I do cook on other days, but Thanksgiving I tend to leave to the professionals. And with my wife and with grandma here, I'm 100 percent sure we're going to have a great meal like we always do."
Linebacker DeMeco Ryans How much he'll eat:"When there's that much food, I really can't even eat that much. But there's a lot of good food going around. I know I'm going to eat well, get me a couple plates to go, have something to snack on for a couple days."
Where he'll be:"I'll be here. We have practice in the morning, so I'll be here. We're going over to Chap's (Greg Tyler, team chaplain) house to eat a little dinner. A lot of guys, a lot of teammates go over and just chill out, fellowship with each other. Play cards, shoot pool and just have a good time."
If he'll cook:"Chap does the cooking. Chap, his family does the cooking. I'm not doing any cooking. I do a lot of eating, though."
Tackle Eric Winston
How much he'll eat:"At one sitting, I don't eat that much. I'm more of a grazer. I just kind of eat around all day, just keep eating like every couple hours."
His favorite Thanksgiving side dishes: "I like sweet potatoes. The stuffing's always good. Everything. Mashed potatoes. I mean, there's not too much food during Thanksgiving that I don't like."
Where he'll be:"Going to my family's in College Station. My mom and step dad moved there, so just going to drive there after practice and hang out there with the fam."
If he'll cook:"Absolutely not. That is not my area of expertise right now, especially for Thanksgiving."
Wide receiver Andre Johnson
Where he'll be:"Just be with some family. That's pretty much about it."
What he's thankful for:"I'm thankful that I'm able to get back out on the field and play again. I'm thankful that my season wasn't ended early."
Guard Fred Weary How much he'll eat:"Right now, since I'm underweight, I'm about I guess six, seven pounds under, so I'm going to eat a good little bit."
Where he'll be:"I'm just ready to spend time with my family, man. We've got to come in and work for a short day tomorrow and then after that, I think I'll spend most of the day eating."
If he'll cook:"I do a fried turkey every year. That's my big thing, a fried turkey every year, so I'll be doing that again this year."
Tight end Joel Dreessen
Where he'll be:"My sister lives only a block away from me, so I'll be over at her house with her."
What he's thankful for:"I'm thankful for the opportunity to come into this building every day. I'm thankful to be in the NFL and be a part of the Houston Texans. I wake up every day with a smile on my face because I get to come to work and play in the NFL. It is truly a blessing to me."
