The 2026 Pro Bowl rosters have been announced, and the Houston Texans have notched 4 spots on the starting lineup:
- WR Nico Collins (2nd)
- CB Derek Stingley Jr. (2nd)
- DE Will Anderson Jr. (2nd)
- LB Azeez Al-Shaair (1st)
This is equal to the four Pro Bowl starters that Houston sent last year, but there’s a few new names here. Both Nico Collins and Derek Stingley Jr. are making their second-consecutive Pro Bowls, but Azeez Al-Shaair is making the first Pro Bowl appearance in his seven NFL seasons. A team captain, Al-Shaair has had his best season with the Texans in his second year here, starting every
game except last week (ankle injury) and tallying a team-leading 96 tackles, 8 passes defensed, 2 QB hits, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 interception, and a PFF grade of 70.3. Al-Shaair is a smart, instinctive pounder on the field, reacting quickly to opposing offenses and launching himself through the gaps on the line to meet the opposing tailback right at the line of scrimmage.
Will Anderson Jr. has earned his first Pro Bowl as a starter (last year he was an alternate), which is not a big surprise considering how dominant he has been all year long. Anderson has started all 15 games for the Texans so far this season, tallying 11.5 sacks, 45 tackles, 17 TFLs, 22 QB hits, 3 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, and a team-leading PFF grade of 91.9! Anderson has been everything the Houston Texans could have asked for when they traded up to select him third overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s relentless, powerful, and so quick you can blink and miss another one of his sacks. He’s stepped up this year, combing with fellow DE Danielle Hunter to make the deadliest pass-rushing duo in the NFL.
Speaking of Danielle Hunter, I am a bit surprised to see that he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl roster as of right now, seeing as he was arguably as great as his teammate who will be a starter in the Pro Bowl Games. K Ka’imi Fairbairn has also been nearly perfect all season for the Texans and has saved their hides on more than one occasion, and yet he has been snubbed, as well. The Pro Bowl rosters are determined by a combination of votes from fans, coaches, and players and has always been a sort of popularity contest, but I still would have liked to have seen another defender or special teamer for Houston get the nod.
In addition to the four Pro Bowl starters, three more Texans players have been named alternates, which is down from the six alternates Houston had in 2024:
- CB Kamari Lassiter (1st)
- S Jalen Pitre (5th)
- S Calen Bullock (1st)
It’s nice to see that these three defensive backs are all receiving the attention they are due after the clinic they’ve put on the past two months. Lassiter, Pitre, and Bullock are all responsible for massive tackles, pass breakups, and interceptions that have sealed games for the Houston Texans. Bullock’s forced fumble against the Buffalo Bills, Lassiter’s interception of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, and Pitre’s big hit on Chiefs WR Rashee Rice will be talked about in Texans circles for years to come, so they’ve earned their way here.
Both Jalen Pitre and/or Calen Bullock could find themselves in the Pro Bowl Games since there are only three starters on the roster: Steelers S Jalen Ramsey, Ravens S Kyle Hamilton, Chargers S Derwin James. Both Ramsey and/or James could end up opting out of the event due to injury or to the fact they’ve been here a few times before.
You can see the full Pro Bowl roster for each team here.
The 2026 Pro Bowl Games will be played the week before Super Bowl LX (60). Instead of a standard football match, the Pro Bowl Games will include a skills competition showdown and a 7-on-7 flag football game that will be played on February 3rd at the Moscone Center in San Francisco at 5:30 PM CST.
What do you think of the Pro-Bowl selections? Is there someone else on Houston’s team that should have been selected as a starter or an alternate? Like…maybe…QB CJ Stroud? Maybe… RG Ed Ingram? Let us know who you think should or shouldn’t have made it down in the comments below!
Go Texans!!!
