HOUSTON – Tavierre Thomas’ long season ended the right way for him: walking off the football field with a victory after his most productive game of an injury-shortened season.
Thomas endured a slow burn during his months on injured reserve, biding his time until he had fully recovered from a strained quadriceps suffered during training camp.
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The veteran nickel back and special-teams contributor made it back to start six of 10 games played and finished with 41 tackles, one for a loss and two forced fumbles.
To beat the Indianapolis Colts, 32-31, in the final game of the season and the last game of since-fired coach Lovie Smith’s tenure meant that the 3-13-1 Texans wouldn’t earn the first overall pick and will now select second overall.
Draft positioning meant nothing to Thomas and his teammates.
“We were trying to get a win,” Thomas said after recording a season-high eight tackles. “We were out there trying to get a win, no matter what. We go out there and a lot of people are saying stuff about tanking and all that. Not the players, for sure, not the coaches. We were out there trying to win.”
Thomas’ two-year, $4 million contract has expired. Now, the former Cleveland Browns undrafted free agent and Division II All-American from Ferris State hopes to sign a new deal with the Texans. With Smith fired and the coaching situation in flux as they go through an extensive search process, Thomas is hoping he fits into future roster plans.
“Oh yeah, I expect to talk to them or whatever,” Thomas said. “Now, I just take some time with my family. Whatever happens, happens. I know I gave it my all. Hopefully, I get a big contract one day. I would love to be back, but it’s a business.
“I got to go out there and do what I have to do for my family. I just want to win, help us win. No matter where I am, wherever I go, they’re going to get a hard-working dude who’s going to go full-speed for that team.”
Thomas recorded a career-high 86 tackles in 2021, with one forced fumble and two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
His presence injects a physical nature and grit into a beleaguered defense that struggled to stop the run.
The Texans lost five one-score games.
“We were in every game, but we couldn’t put all three phases together and play complementary football,” Thomas said. “At the end, we ended on a good note. I feel like this was a rebuild. At the end of the season, we started putting things together on defense.
Thomas, who has a close relationship with Smith, is hoping the Texans can engineer a turnaround akin to the Jacksonville Jaguars winning the AFC South division title and making it to the playoffs.
“We get a couple of more pieces on offense and we can get over the hump,” Thomas said. “We just saw what Jacksonville did. We can do it the same way with the Houston Texans.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.