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When Jadeveon Clowney was traded from the Houston Texans, there were mixed feelings from both sides.
Clowney, the former 2014 No. 1 overall pick, made it clear there were internal problems between himself and the coaching staff, thus making the trade to the Seattle Seahawks much more tolerable. For years, it was rumored there was bad blood between the defensive end and head coach Bill O'Brien.
Seven years later, O'Brien is out of the building and Clowney is back on a one-year deal. And finally, he was able to answer the question of if the fractured relationship between the team was caused the those on the sidelines.
“I ain't had no hard feelings. It was just O’Brien at the time,” Clowney said after reuniting with the franchise. “Me and him bumped heads, and I couldn't really understand because I was an easygoing guy. I was like, ‘All right, whatever you want from me’ type of guy. Especially when I'm 21 years old, 22 years old, I was just taking people's advice instead of really looking in the mirror trying to figure myself out.”
The Texans needed Clowney to help bolster their pass rush after dominating during his career at South Carolina. It took a while to get the ball rolling, but Clowney eventually became a key asset in helping Houston return to the postseason.
Over his final three seasons, Clowney was named a Pro Bowler. He also racked up 20 sacks and 34 tackles for loss, helping Houston make the divisional round twice. But given that he never reached double-digit sacks in a season, the Texans kept their offers reasonable.
Neither side could agree on a set deal, so O'Brien eventually made sure the team slapped him with a franchise tag before ultimately trading him over to Seattle for Jacob Martin, Jeremy Lane, and several draft picks. Clowney, who has since played for six different teams, told reporters that getting traded helped him mature because it changed his mindset on not only how to approach the game, but also negotiations on contracts.“I'm just a guy they picking up so let me go ahead and put my foot down and show them what I got," Clowney said. "That's what I've been doing year after year after year in my career. I hope I can continue to do that this year and help this team.”
On a one-year deal, Clowney hopes to pick up where he left off in Houston back in 2019. The 33-year-old still has enough juice left in the tank after totaling a team-leading 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
In Houston, he'll be a third pass-rusher who should compete for reps on the regular with young players in different formations. While he might have left the Texans, Clowney always called Houston home in the offseason, electing to train and workout between seasons in the area.
Now, he's home for good, something that at one point felt like a pipeline dream.
"I'm glad to be back. I'm having fun. It's a great team, great defense," Clowney said. "I'm trying to chase that Super Bowl with the Texans. I feel like it's a great opportunity for me and my family. I'm just enjoying it."
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Pro Bowl DE Jadeveon Clowney explains Texans' departure and his welcomed return
Continue reading...
Clowney, the former 2014 No. 1 overall pick, made it clear there were internal problems between himself and the coaching staff, thus making the trade to the Seattle Seahawks much more tolerable. For years, it was rumored there was bad blood between the defensive end and head coach Bill O'Brien.
Seven years later, O'Brien is out of the building and Clowney is back on a one-year deal. And finally, he was able to answer the question of if the fractured relationship between the team was caused the those on the sidelines.
“I ain't had no hard feelings. It was just O’Brien at the time,” Clowney said after reuniting with the franchise. “Me and him bumped heads, and I couldn't really understand because I was an easygoing guy. I was like, ‘All right, whatever you want from me’ type of guy. Especially when I'm 21 years old, 22 years old, I was just taking people's advice instead of really looking in the mirror trying to figure myself out.”
The Texans needed Clowney to help bolster their pass rush after dominating during his career at South Carolina. It took a while to get the ball rolling, but Clowney eventually became a key asset in helping Houston return to the postseason.
Over his final three seasons, Clowney was named a Pro Bowler. He also racked up 20 sacks and 34 tackles for loss, helping Houston make the divisional round twice. But given that he never reached double-digit sacks in a season, the Texans kept their offers reasonable.
Neither side could agree on a set deal, so O'Brien eventually made sure the team slapped him with a franchise tag before ultimately trading him over to Seattle for Jacob Martin, Jeremy Lane, and several draft picks. Clowney, who has since played for six different teams, told reporters that getting traded helped him mature because it changed his mindset on not only how to approach the game, but also negotiations on contracts.“I'm just a guy they picking up so let me go ahead and put my foot down and show them what I got," Clowney said. "That's what I've been doing year after year after year in my career. I hope I can continue to do that this year and help this team.”
On a one-year deal, Clowney hopes to pick up where he left off in Houston back in 2019. The 33-year-old still has enough juice left in the tank after totaling a team-leading 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
In Houston, he'll be a third pass-rusher who should compete for reps on the regular with young players in different formations. While he might have left the Texans, Clowney always called Houston home in the offseason, electing to train and workout between seasons in the area.
Now, he's home for good, something that at one point felt like a pipeline dream.
"I'm glad to be back. I'm having fun. It's a great team, great defense," Clowney said. "I'm trying to chase that Super Bowl with the Texans. I feel like it's a great opportunity for me and my family. I'm just enjoying it."
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Pro Bowl DE Jadeveon Clowney explains Texans' departure and his welcomed return
Continue reading...
