TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the Houston Texans in the first round (26th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft...Signed a contract extension with the Texans on May 4, 2015...Signed a contract extension with the Texans on Dec. 28, 2019.Â
AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 2, 2019)
Associated Press Second-Team All-Pro (2016)
AFC Defensive Player of the Month (December 2015)
AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 1, 2016)
Ranks third in franchise history with 50.0 sacks
The franchise postseason sack leader with 7.0, which is also the most in the NFL since 2015
Became the first player in franchise history and the fifth player in the NFL since 1982 to post two games with 3.5-or-more sacks in a season in 2015
Tied DE Mario Williams (12.0 in 2008) for the fifth-most sacks in a season in franchise history in 2015
Joined J.J Watt (2018) and Khalil Mack (2018) as the only players to record at least 5.0 sacks and four forced fumbles in the first four games of a season since 1993
Has 12 career games with 2.0-or-more sacks, which ties Mario Williams (12) for the second-most career games with multiple sacks in Texans history behind J. Watt (25)
Tied the franchise rookie record for sacks with 6.0 in 2012
Has appeared in five career playoff games, totaling 20 total tackles (10 solo), 7.0 sacks and one special teams tackle
Joined Kevin Greene, Terrell Suggs and Von Miller as the only players since 1982 with 5.0 sacks over two playoff games
Became the first player in franchise history to record multiple sacks in two straight postseason contests, dating back to 2016's AFC Wild Card matchup against Kansas City (1/9/16)
Recorded the most sacks (3.0) in a postseason game in Texans history, while tying for the fourth-most by any NFL player in a playoff contest, vs. Kansas City (1/9/16)
2019 (Houston 16/16, 2/2):
Started in all 16 games and finished the season with 48 total tackles (33 solo), nine tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, his first two career interceptions, two passes defensed, a single-season career-high four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery
Notched the first interception of his career in the season opener at New Orleans (9/9), picking off a pass by Saints QB Drew Brees on the Houston four-yard line. Added six total tackles (four solo), 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and one pass defensed in the contest, becoming only the third player in the NFL in Week 1 to record a sack and an interception in the same game
Posted three total tackles (two solo), three quarterback hits and two strip sacks in the win vs. Jacksonville (9/15), marking his 11th-career game with 2.0-or-more sacks, which is the third-most in team historyÂ
Registered five total tackles (five solo), 1.0 sack, one forced fumble, two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit in the Week 3 win over the L.A. Chargers (9/22). Has now recorded a sack in three-consecutive games for the first time in his NFL career and a forced fumble in back-to-back games for the third time in his career
Finished with two total tackles (one solo), 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and one quarterback hit vs. Carolina (9/29), notching a sack in his fourth-consecutive game for the first time in his NFL career and forcing a fumble in his third-consecutive game for the first time in his NFL career. Joined J.J. Watt (2018) and Khalil Mack (2018) as the only players to record at least 5.0 sacks and four forced fumbles in the first four games of a season since 1993
Finished with four total tackles (two solo), two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit vs. Atlanta (10/6), posting the second game with multiple tackles for loss on the season and the 16th of his career, which moved him into third place in team history
Notched four total tackles (one solo), 0.5 sack, one quarterback hit and recorded his first fumble recovery of the season and the eighth of his career at Indianapolis (10/20)
Finished third on the team with six total tackles (four solo) and added two tackles for loss vs. Oakland (10/27). Posted the third game with multiple tackles for loss this season and the 17th of his career, which tied Jadeveon Clowney (17) for the second-most in team history behind J.J. Watt
Logged two total tackles (two solo) at Baltimore (11/17). Eclipsed 300 career tackles, becoming only the 12th player in franchise history to accomplish the feat
Registered four total tackles (three solo), one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit vs. Indianapolis (11/21). Passed Antonio Smith (98) for the second-most career quarterback hits in franchise history and passed Kevin Walter (109) for the 10th-most games played in franchise history
Posted two solo tackles one pass defensed and notched his second interception of the season at Tennessee (12/15), returning it 86 yards to the Titans' 12-yard line. Became the fourth linebacker in team history to record multiple interceptions in a season, joining Kailee Wong (2004), Brian Cushing (2009, 2011) and Dylan Cole (2017)
Finished with four total tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks, one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits at Tampa Bay (12/21), notching his 12th career game with 2.0-or-more sacks, which tied Mario Williams (12) for the second-most career games with multiple sacks in Texans history
Registered four total tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and three quarterback hits in the win over Buffalo in the Wild Card Round (1/4/20), becoming the second player in franchise history to record a sack and forced fumble in the same game, joining Brooks Reed in 2011. Owns the most sacks (7.0) and quarterback hits (12) in Texans postseason history
Posted one solo tackle and one quarterback hit in the Divisional Round at Kansas City (1/12/20). Now owns 13 career quarterback hits in the postseason, the most in Texans history and the second-most in the NFL since 2015
2018 (Houston 16/9, 1/0):
Finished with four solo tackles, 1.0 sack, two forced fumbles, one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss at Jacksonville (10/21). Set a single-game career-high for forced fumbles and tied Brian Cushing (nine) for the third-most career forced fumbles in franchise history
Finished with three total tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss at Washington (11/18). Joined J.J. Watt and Mario Williams as the only players in franchise history to record at least 40.0 career sacks
Tallied five total tackles (three solo), 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits and one tackle for loss vs. Tennessee (11/26). Registered his first multi-sack game since Week 16 of the 2016 season vs. Cincinnati
Recorded one total tackle in the Wild Card Round vs. Indianapolis (1/5)
Tallied 10 total tackles (nine solo), 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one quarterback hit in five games
Recorded five tackles and one tackle for loss in the season opener vs. Jacksonville (9/10)
Finished with six tackles, his first sack of the season and forced one fumble that was returned for a touchdown at New England (9/24)
Placed on the Reserve/Injured list on Oct. 11
2016 (Houston 15/15, 2/2):
Tied for the league lead with four fumble recoveries and led the team with 7.5 sacks
Tied for 14th in the NFL with 13 tackles for loss
Totaled four total tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble in the season opener vs. Chicago (9/11)
His strip-sack of Bears QB Jay Cutler gave him 2.0 sacks for the game and his third straight multiple-sack game (including postseason) dating back to Week 17 of the 2015 season, vs. Chicago (9/11)
Finished with three total tackles (one solo), a quarterback hit and notched a fumble recovery after a strip-sack by OLB John Simon on Chiefs QB Alex Smith vs. Kansas City (9/18)
Finished second on the team and set a season high with seven total tackles (five solo), one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit vs. Tennessee (10/2) in Week 4
Recorded three total tackles, 1.5 sacks and set a single-game career high with five quarterback hits at Minnesota (10/9) in Week 5
Split a sack with DE Antonio Smith on QB Sam Bradford in the first quarter and added a full sack one quarter later, also on third down, at Minnesota (10/9)
Notched six total tackles (four solo), 1.0 sack and two tackles for loss vs. Indianapolis (10/16)
Tied a single-season career high (two in 2015) with his second fumble recovery of the year and fifth of his career, at Jacksonville (11/13) in Week 10
Sacked Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, posted three tackles for loss and set a career high with his third fumble recovery of the season at Green Bay (12/4) in Week 13
Posted three solo tackles, four quarterback hits, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery at Indianapolis (12/11) in Week 14
Matched his season high with 2.0 sacks of Bengals QB Andy Dalton, giving him his 10th career game with 2.0-or-more sacks, vs. Cincinnati (12/24) in Week 16
Tied for second on the team with seven tackles (five solo), and recorded three tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks vs. Oakland (1/7/17) in the AFC Wild Card round
Finished with four total tackles, three quarterback hits, one pass defensed and 1.0 sack, giving him a franchise-best 6.0 for his postseason career, at New England (1/14/17) in the AFC Divisional round
2015 (Houston 16/10, 1/1):
Finished the year with 50 total tackles (32 solo), 12.0 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, 14 tackles for loss, two passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. His sack and tackles for loss totals set single-season career highs, while he tied his personal-best for total tackles
Tied Mario Williams (12.0 in 2008) for the fifth-most sacks in a season in franchise history
Named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for December
Had two total tackles (one solo), one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery vs. Tampa Bay
Registered his first 2.0 sacks of the season at Jacksonville (10/18)
Posted a career-high 3.5 sacks vs. Tennessee (11/1), which is tied for the second-most in a game in Texans history (LB Connor Barwin, 4.0 at Jacksonville, 11/27/11, and DE Mario Williams, 3.5 vs. Denver, 12/13/07)
Tied for second on the team with seven total tackles (six solo), while adding four tackles for loss and four quarterback hits vs. Tennessee (11/1)
Finished with five tackles, including three for loss, and a sack at Cincinnati (11/16)
Registered four total tackles (three solo) and one pass defensed at Buffalo (12/6), his second of the year and first since Week 1 against Kansas City (9/13)
Set a single-season career-high in sacks (7.5) after he brought down Patriots QB Tom Brady for a nine-yard loss in the fourth quarter vs. New England (12/13)
Finished the game with five total tackles (three solo) and 1.0 sack vs. New England (12/13)
Sacked Colts QB Charlie Whitehurst in the fourth quarter at Indianapolis (12/20)
Tallied five total tackles (three solo), 3.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery vs. Jacksonville (1/3/16)
Became the first player in franchise history and the fifth player in the NFL since 1982 to post two games with 3.5-or-more sacks in a season
Recorded the most sacks (3.0) in a postseason game in Texans history, while tying for the fourth-most by any NFL player, in a playoff contest vs. Kansas City (1/9/16)
Finished with eight total tackles (five solo), 3.0 sacks for a loss of 17 yards and four quarterback hits in Wild Card Game vs. Kansas City (1/9/16)
Started 13-of-15 games and registered 50 total tackles, 5.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss and two forced fumbles
Recorded six total tackles, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit vs. Indianapolis (10/9) in Week 6
Recorded the fourth multi-sack game of his career at Pittsburgh (10/20). Strip-sacked Ben Roethlisberger in the first quarter and finished the game with five total tackles, two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit and one pass defensed
Had a multi-sack game for the fifth time in his career and second time this season vs. Philadelphia (11/2) in Week 9. Tied for the team lead with a career-high nine total tackles. Set a season high with three quarterback hits and tied a season high with two tackles for loss
Had three total tackles and forced his second fumble of the season vs. Baltimore (12/21) in Week 16
Sacked Jaguars QB Blake Bortles for three yards vs. Jacksonville (12/28) in Week 17. Finished with three total tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit
Started all 16 games at WILL linebacker and recorded 65 total tackles, 7.0 sacks, 18 quarterback hits and six tackles for loss
Recorded seven total tackles (five solo) and 1.0 sack for a loss of six yards at San Diego (9/9)
Amassed eight total tackles (four solo) and 2.5 sacks vs. Seattle (9/29)
Recorded six total tackles (three solo) and 1.0 sack at San Francisco (10/6)
Added another sack to go along with four solo tackles vs. Jacksonville (11/24)
Recorded his seventh sack of the season vs. Denver (12/22)
2012 (Houston 16/4, 2/0):
Tied the Texans rookie record for sacks in a season with 6.0
Made his Texans and NFL debut at outside linebacker in the season opener vs. Miami (9/9)
Registered his first career sack and forced a fumble when he dropped Ravens QB Joe Flacco for a two-yard loss in the first quarter vs. Baltimore (10/21)
Recorded 2.0 sacks and collected his second career forced fumble vs. Buffalo (11/4)
Collected a season-high four tackles at Detroit (11/22)
Sacked Titans QB Jake Locker twice for a total loss of six yards and recovered a fumble at Tennessee (12/2)
Sacked Patriots QB Tom Brady for a seven-yard loss in the third quarter at New England (12/10) to give him 6.0 sacks on the season, tying the franchise rookie sack record set by OLB Brooks Reed in 2011
Made his postseason debut in the AFC Wild Card Playoff vs. Cincinnati (1/5/13)
Made one tackle and one special teams tackle in AFC Divisional Playoff at New England (1/13/13)
Played three seasons (2009-11) at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill. after redshirting the 2008 campaign
Started 15-of-37 career games with the Illini, recording 81 total tackles (42 solo) with 18.0 sacks (119 yards), 28 tackles for loss (150 yards), 11 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries
Tied for eighth in NCAA FBS history with 11 forced fumbles, which also ranks fifth all-time in the Big Ten Conference and is second on the Illini all-time list (13 by Simeon Rice from 1992-95)
Set a school and Big Ten single-season record with nine forced fumbles in 2011
Third on the Illinois single-season tackle for loss chart with 22.5 in 2011
Earned 2011 All-America and All-Big Ten Conference first-team honors from The NFL Draft Report as the scouting service named him the league's Player of the Year and National Defensive Lineman of the Year
Mid-season All-America from Phil Steele's College Football and was selected National Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. Indiana (3.0 sacks) his senior season
Led the nation in sacks per game (1.23) and fumbles forced per game (0.833) as a senior
Recorded a career-high 57 total tackles (28 solo) with 16.0 sacks (105 yards) to tie the school season-record that was first set by Simeon Rice in 1994
Played in all 13 games, starting two games at weak-side defensive end his junior season
Recorded 16 total tackles (eight solo) with a 7-yard sack and three tackles for loss in 2010
Recorded eight total tackles (four solo), two assisted sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in 2009
Attended Garfield High School in Akron, Ohio
Played defensive end and tight end and earned Northeast Ohio Inland All-Star team, Cleveland Plain-Dealer Defensive All-Star team and All-District honors after leading the Rams to a 7-3 record in 2007
A Prep Star All-Region and All-Akron City League choice, he recorded 36 solo tackles with a pair of sacks, six stops behind the line of scrimmage and four fumble recoveries, advancing one 36 yards for a score
