The Texans quarterback competition ended Tuesday, when head coach Bill O’Brien announced Ryan Fitzpatrick won the job, beating out two journeymen and a rookie. This wasn’t exactly Jeff Hostetler against Phil Simms.
Good thing the Texans will feature the defensive line duo of J.J. Watt and rookie Jadeveon Clowney, the top overall pick who is rehabbing after having sports hernia surgery last week. Of perhaps more significance, star wide receiver Andre Johnson didn’t attend Tuesday’s practice, which began the mandatory minicamp.
Johnson hasn’t participated in the team’s voluntary offseason workouts and said last month he wouldn’t attend these workouts, either. Johnson has said he has not asked for a trade, but last month wondered if Houston was “still the place for me.” The 32-year-old Johnson is Houston’s longest-tenured player after joining the franchise in its second season.
O’Brien said he felt it was important for the team to know whom its starting quarterback was heading into the mandatory parts of its offseason.
“He earned it,” O’Brien told reporters on Tuesday. “He earned it with his preparation. He earned it with his accuracy.”
The Texans signed Fitzpatrick in free agency shortly before trading Matt Schaub to the Raiders. Schaub lost his job to Case Keenum midway through last season. O’Brien maintained throughout voluntary minicamp and OTAs it was an open competition between Fitzpatrick, Keenum, T.J. Yates and rookie draft pick Tom Savage.
“With all three of those guys, we need just a little bit more consistency,” O’Brien said.