Houston Texans
Whitney Mercilus - #59 - LB
| Status | Active |
| Height/Weight | 6' 4"/ 257 lbs. |
| Birthday | 07/21/1990 |
| Birthplace | Akron, OH |
| College | Illinois |
| Years played | 2 |
| Drafted | 2012, 1st round, 26th pick by Texans |
2012 STATS
| Tack | FF | Int |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 2 | 0 |
Air attack and run defense lead Giants over Texans
Eli Manning threw two of his three touchdown passes to Hakeem Nicks and the New York Giants held Houston to a franchise-low 24 yards rushing in a 34-10 win over the Texans on Sunday.
Injuries, blocking duties hold down Daniels' receiving totals
Texans TE Owen Daniels has seen his pass-catching numbers drop significantly because of various injuries and a need to pass-block more often, according to AFC South Whispers.
Cushing's return comes as schedule offers Texans no relief
Texans SLB Brian Cushing was a physical, playmaking, turnover-forcing presence as a rookie, and his influence in each of these specific areas will aid the defense in his return.
Mario Williams limited in practice
A groin injury has limited Texans DE Mario Williams in practice this week.
Texans sign DE Anderson
The Texans have signed former Bears DE Mark Anderson. The Bears cut Anderson on Tuesday and replaced him with veteran DE Charles Grant.
Texans' win at Oakland highlights depth, talent, resiliency
The Texans are second in the NFL in offense and last in defense, but the return of SLB Brian Cushing is a major help to the "D," and the offense thrived at less-than-full strength in a 31-24 win at Oakland ...
Foster returns from benching to score twice in Texans win
Arian Foster returned from an early game benching to score on a 74-yard run and an 10-yard catch in the second half to lead the Houston Texans to a 31-24 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
Texans RB Foster does not start (coach's decision)
Texans RB Arian Foster did not start against the Raiders in Week Four because of a coach's decision, according to multiple reports.
Harris: Foster can be 'complete' with work
Arian Foster won the Texans' starting RB job with an improved approach to his job, and the work paid off handsomely in the first month of the season. Now, Texans RB coach Chick Harris wants him to sustain that progress.
Kubiak: Texans WR Johnson 'game-time' decision
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said that WR Andre Johnson's playing status for Sunday will be a "game-time decision," according to the club.
Texans sign Paymah, fail to add Schobel
The Texans have reportedly added veteran DB Karl Paymah to their secondary.
Cowboys top Texans 27-13, earn first win
Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes to Roy Williams, Marion Barber ran for another score and the Dallas Cowboys got their first win by beating the Houston Texans 27-13 on Sunday.
Texans' defense faltering vs. pass, stuffing run
The Texans' defensive problems against the pass have been glaring, but their sustained success against the run is notable, too.
Texans sign OT Salaam
The Texans announced the signing of OT Ephraim Salaam on Wednesday. Salaam's signing comes one day after Duane Brown was suspended for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Texans starting OLT Brown suspended four games
Texans starting OLT Duane Brown has been suspended by the NFL for four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances.
PLAYER NEWS
Mercilus recovered a fumble and had two sacks as the Texans (11-1) remain tied with Atlanta for the best record in the NFL with their sixth straight win Sunday.|||||||
This was a nice bit of progress for the Mercilus, who the team would hope to see more production from.
The Houston Texans have signed No. 26 overall pick Whitney Mercilus to a four-year deal. The team did not release financial terms of the deal.|||||||
The 6-foot-4, 254-pound player was a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme at Illinois but has moved to outside linebacker in the 3-4 alignment the Texans use. He started just one season in college, but was the nation's leader in sacks with 16 and forced fumbles with eight.
Mercilus had one - and only one - spectacular season at Illinois. That was all Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips needed to see. Houston used the 26th pick in the first round on the 6-foot-3, 261-pound Mercilus, and the projected outside linebacker officially joined his new team Friday.|||||||
Mercilus was an early entry junior. He led the nation in sacks with 16 and forced nine fumbles last season, helping Illinois make a dramatic turnaround on defense. Phillips said that if Mercilus had stayed in school, he would've been a top-10 pick next year.
