CYPRESS – It was a significant moment for Texans linebacker E.J. Speed when he visited patients at the cancer unit of Houston Methodist Hospital in Cypress.
His adopted brother, Paul Snead, was diagnosed with cancer when Speed was a high school senior and passed away that year.
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“Just a trip down Memory Lane, just like an ego check for me and myself and just knowing where I came from and stuff like that and I’ve been in those patients’ rooms and stuff with him,” Speed said Tuesday as he and cheerleaders visited patients as part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch program. “And I know how hard it is on a family so coming back and giving back today was a special thing for me.
#Texans linebacker E.J. Speed @EJ_SPEED visited cancer patients and staff today at Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, and this is a deeply personal cause for E.J. and his family. His brother died from cancer when E.J. was in high school, growing up in Ft. Worth @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/aSHsHJE9P4
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 23, 2025
“Everything, that’s what it’s all about. It’s all about the community. It’s just giving back. To who much is given, much is expected. So, you’ve got a platform to use to make somebody’s day better. It’s always great to do that. Dealing with patients, they’re a motivation to me. It’s good to see their smiles on their faces.”
The Texans are off to an 0-3 start, including a one-point loss on Monday Night Football to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Speed emphasized the team needs to stay positive and stay the course.
"The confidence and just knowing the work we put in, everything will fall into place,“ Speed said. ”We’re not out of games. I mean, these are one score games. These are one play games that we just got to clean up. And it’s still early in the season, even though an 0-3 start isn’t ideal. It’s still in the early season. We can turn this thing around and go undefeated from here."
'Everything can fall into place. It's early in the season. Even though an 0-3 start isn't ideal, we can still turn this thing around and go undefeated from here' #Texans linebacker E.J. Speed @EJ_SPEED on losing three one-score games @KPRC2 https://t.co/6qqdrJbult pic.twitter.com/xFZTFYc6jU
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 23, 2025
Speed actually met a Buccaneers fan in the cancer ward, who claimed bragging rights over the Texans.
“We’re gonna see Tampa Bay again,” Speed said. “I’m gonna come back over and talk to him."
#Texans linebacker E.J. Speed @EJ_SPEED and cheerleaders visits patients in cancer unit of Houston Methodist @MethodistHosp in Cypress today. He met a diehard #Buccaneers fan and patient, too, who claimed goodnatured bragging rights after his team's #MNF win @KPRC2 https://t.co/5oukR7hQCn pic.twitter.com/i7sMrEizF4
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 23, 2025
A former Indianapolis Colts starter who had 141 tackles last season and signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Texans in free agency, Speed had five tackles against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday. He had two solo tackles and three assists in limited action.“
Obviously, those five tackles wasn’t enough because we didn’t win the game,” Speed said. “Me personally, I always had a nose for the ball. I can always find the ball and never looked at the field as bigger than what it is. Just getting to the ball, and tackling it, and just doing enough to win at this point.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com