Franchise Moments: The 
Texans' Top Moment of the Past Decade
Let's talk about the biggest moment for the modern Houston Texans. We all know the fanbase still LOVES to talk about J.J. Watt, who retired in 2022 and is now calling games on CBS. Aside from the Wisconsin golden boy, what are those special moments that have defined the modern era for this organization?
Going all the way back to the 2019 playoffs, you might think about a game that changed Houston for the worse. A 24-0 lead in the first quarter wasn't enough, as Patrick Mahomes ended up leading the Chiefs to a 51-31 comeback win, with a 4th touchdown pass in the second quarter that was an early nail in the coffin.
Go one year forward, when Houston traded their star DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for a 2nd Round Pick and a washed-up David Johnson. This trade, in hindsight, was absolutely stupid, but it's not enough to be that number one franchise definer as part of this new RotoWire campaign.
Then there was 2021, when top dog Deshaun Watson had a plethora of misconduct lawsuits become public. This costed him the franchise quarterback role, and he's now set to lose Cleveland's QB1 role to Shedeur Sanders. Wow, how things can change.
With all that being said, we're not talking about the Jets here, so the RotoWire staff landed on a more positive moment as the franchise definer. What is it, you might ask? Think to what started the new era of this team...
Top Texans Moment of the Last Ten Years
The winner: The Texans Draft Will Anderson and C.J. Stroud (2023)
No moment in the modern era turned the tide for the Texans quite like the 2023 Draft, and these two players led the charge.
Why These Draft Picks?
Houston had just 11 combined wins in the three seasons leading up to this draft. The pressure was on, and after the hiring of head coach Demeco Ryans, the next step was to draft some superstars. The front office did just that and more, by selecting what are now the leaders on the offensive and defensive fronts.
Stroud would go on to have a breakout rookie campaign, throwing for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. Not only that, but he would also help deliver a blowout Wild Card win over the Browns and truly turn the tide for this organization.
Anderson was the catalyst for a bloodthirsty defense that Demeco Ryans was aiming to build. Anderson has now recorded 30 sacks across his first three NFL seasons, and more importantly, has been the leader of one of the best defenses in the league.
Drafting these two players was a move that has continued to shape the Texans. A team that was once continuously bullied in the AFC South now has true grit, and that's a testament to the job on this particular draft day. Stroud and Anderson have evolved into co-leaders of the team and heroes of the fanbase. Their bond is one every coach hopes to see from their young stars, no matter the outcome of each season.
Will Anderson Jr. had C.J. Stroud's back after the Texans loss to the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/WnZ2qsWJNz
— ESPN BET (@ESPNBET) January 19, 2026
Where Do The Texans Stand Now?
Anderson looks to be a sure thing once again this year, but there remain a lot of questions about Stroud's competency moving forward. The incoming fourth year has seen his passing yards and touchdowns regress each year since he was a rookie.
The Texans have also now lost three-straight Divisional matchups in the playoffs, which points fingers at Demeco's abilities when things get real. Still, none of this discounts the franchise's true flip of the script in 2023. It's easy to blame a team for being good and not great, but Houston hasn't been good for that long, so maybe it will just take time. In the meantime, Texans fans can continue to listen to their "All Access Podcast" that continues to give false hope for an organization that just may never be ready to take that next step...
More About The Campaign
The RotoWire expert panel voted to select the single most franchise-defining moment from the last 10 years for all 32 NFL teams. Voting has now closed. The results now power a 33-article editorial series published across RotoWire ahead of the NFL season -- one dedicated article per franchise, plus one overarching piece covering the broader trends and standout moments across the league.
