Clowney proves himself for Texans, dominating contract

• Houston Texans signed J.J. Clowney, a former No. 1 overall pick, as a free agent.
• Clowney, a former Texans player, was selected No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft and played for Houston through the 2019 season.
• In 2025, Clowney played for the Dallas Cowboys, recording 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits in 13 games.

Veteran pass-rusher J.J. Clowney, in his first season with Houston, was a defensive standout. According to the AP, he was the Texans’ top defensive player, and he played a key role in the team’s pass rush. The Texans’ decision to sign him with a franchise tag for the 2019 season kept him in the league and prevented him from leaving the team.

Houston Texans selected Clowney with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and he played for the team through the 2019 season. Clowney then played for the Seattle Seahawks before the 2019 season, and the Texans used a franchise tag to keep him from leaving in 2019.

According to The Associated Press, the Texans’ decision was based on a number of factors. The material notes that Clowney’s performance helped the team, and that he was a key defensive player. However, details were not disclosed publicly, only that the official terms were not discussed.

In 2025, Clowney played for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, recording 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits. It was also noted that in the 2025 season Clowney had a 19.1 percent pressure rate, which was the fourth-highest among all defensive players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps.

Clowney also played for the team in the 2025 season. AP also notes that while in his first season with the Texans he was with Dallas Cowboys, among other teams, he also played for Tennessee, Cleveland, Baltimore and Carolina. In 2021–2022, Clowney played for the Cleveland Browns, and, as reported by The Athletic, he was in the starting lineup at the time.

Clowney was a defensive end in the NFL, selected No. 1 overall after playing at the University of South Carolina. According to the materials, in 2012 he won the AP All-American and Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defensive end, and that he also won the football team’s 7 in 2022.

Tags: Sport/Football