One of the more unlikely contributors to the Houston Texans’ defense in 2022 has been veteran safety M.J. Stewart, who is in his first year playing for the team. He was a free agent acquisition by the Texans back in March and has had to climb the depth chart to see his role in Houston’s defense grow.
Safeties coach Joe Danna talked about what caused Stewart to become a go-to option as a rotational piece in the Texans’ secondary in Houston’s press conference on Thursday. He hinted at an important piece of the puzzle in player evaluation and told reporters that Stewart’s contributions on special teams were a key part of what led the coaching staff to decide that he was fit for an expanded role in the defense.
“M.J. [Stewart] has played a lot of football in the league,” Danna explained. “Anytime you take one of your best special teams players, you’re seeing them make plays in those areas, special teams and defense, lot of correlation there. Just felt like he was deserving to get out there and be able to play some snaps.”
Pushed further on the matter, reporters asked about what made Stewart special, to which Danna had a much more succinct answer.
“[He has] speed, athleticism, physicality. Everything you want in a safety, he possesses that. [He is a] good football player.”
Any additional help that the Texans can get on either side of the ball should be considered a step in the right direction for the team at this point in the season. They’re likely to lose out through the end of their schedule and end the year with a 1-15-1 record that will earn them the first-overall pick in the 2023 draft.
As the horror of the 2022 season draws to a merciful close for Houston, they will set their sights on a rebuild, and with his expert play, Stewart may have earned himself a spot on the team’s roster next season.
