HOUSTON – Brian Cushing proudly wears No. 56 and has done so for eight seasons in Houston.
On the field, Cushing is a spirited leader that head coach Bill O’Brien loves. There’s no doubt how O’Brien feels about the linebacker out of the University of Southern California.
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“He’s been here a long time. He’s the heart and soul of our defense,” O’Brien said. “Middle linebacker, tackler, tough guy and a leader on our team. He’s a leader, he does a lot for us and just expecting him to have his usual tough training camp.”
Cushing’s NFL journey hasn’t been easy.
His career has been full of success, but it’s also been filled with injuries. Surgery after surgery caused doubt to creep in, but he’s never stepped back from his passion.
“I’ve understood a lot more and learned a lot more as I’ve gotten older,” Cushing said. “You take care of your body a lot better, you learn more techniques and things out there and you get in a better routine. It’s one of those things you get older, but you get wiser.”
He’s missed 29 games in his first eight seasons with the Texans, but from the day he was drafted in 2009 to camp in West Virginia, his competitive fire hasn’t faded.
His goals for 2017 are simple.
“Get healthy and continue to raise my game. I feel like, ninth year, I can continue to get better,” said Cushing. “The fire is still very much there. I’m just trying to get this team as far as possible.”
As the Texans go through the paces in the early stages of training camp, the mindset is as it has been in recent years. Cushing knows opportunities at winning a Super Bowl won’t last forever.
“I know it’s early for me to say that, but I think we all know what the end goal is and we won’t be happy unless we get that,” Cushing said.
