How Texans ‘Swiss Army knife’ tight end Brevin Jordan carries ‘Spartan 300 charge’ approach to kickoff coverage

HOUSTON – Brevin Jordan channels an epic action movie mentality when he’s chasing kickoff returners, harnessing a fierce approach toward his job on the Texans’ special teams.

It’s the kind of gritty, do-whatever-it-takes mindset that special teams coordinator Frank Ross fosters.

“Special teams is dope, bro,” Jordan said. “You have to have a different mentality. Whenever I am on kickoff or something like that, the first thing that comes to my mind is Spartan 300, charge type. So, I enjoy kickoff.”

Heading into his fourth NFL season, the Las Vegas native is embracing a versatile role that includes lining up everywhere from a traditional in-line tight end, in the backfield as a blocking fullback, flexed out as a wide receiver and on various kick coverage roles.

“From Brevin, I’ve seen a young man who’s stepped out with more confidence,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s been on the details of his job. He’s playing fast, he’s playing physical. He really sticks out on tape out of everyone. We’re watching, not only offense, but our special teams.

“I showed some reps of Brevin the other day of him on our punt coverage, how physical he was on the snap, how he got out and beat everyone downfield. Brev has done an outstanding job these first two weeks of camp and I’m so excited to see his growth. That’s why I enjoy coaching, It’s not any guy I’m more proud of than Brev with the steps that he’s made so far.”

A former fifth-round draft pick from Miami, Jordan caught 17 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns last season as he averaged 12.9 yards per catch

“I am excited, man,” Jordan said. “Just being able to be used all over the field and be a Swiss army knife is a great opportunity I am looking forward to it just stacking every day, building brick by brick and just going out there and trying to win some games this year.”

Jordan hit paydirt on an epic touchdown in an AFC wild-card playoff victory, dashing away from pursuit on a 76-yard score in a 45-14 win over the Browns at NRG Stadium.

Jordan displayed an extra gear on his pivotal touchdown.

He was off to the races and no one was going to catch him. Definitely not the Browns’ overwhelmed secondary.

On the touchdown against the Browns, Jordan reached a top speed of 20.03 miles per hour for the third-fastest speed by a tight end carrying the football last season as he ran for 72 yards after the catch, according to Next Gen Stats analytics.

“It was a huge play for my career, but I am tired of talking about it,” Jordan said. “I feel like I can go out there and do it every week, week in and week out. My confidence just comes from my faith, it comes from my teammates, it comes from me preparing every day.

“When you feel the confidence from the coaches it allows you to go out there and play fast, play explosive. When you make a play it is like, that is why they are calling my number. I am just looking forward to the opportunity this year.”

Through three seasons, Jordan, 24, has appeared in 34 games with four starts and has caught 51 passes for 525 yards and five touchdowns.

There’s been a lot of progress for the defending AFC South champions, and Jordan.

“Honestly, I look back to my first three years in the league and I feel like I didn’t know anything,” Jordan said. “I was so young, so naive of the NFL, and I took it for granted. I took this position for granted and now I am just so grateful, I am so passionate to be in the league. I am looking forward to just going out there on Sundays and performing again.”

During spring practices, Jordan did enough that Ryans singled him out for praise on a daily basis with his series of highlight catches.

“Brevin, I joke with the guys, I show plays from practice, from the previous practice in our team meetings. I say, ‘I have my daily Brevin clip.’’ Ryans said. “I show a clip of Brevin every day. He has a highlight of just, Brevin’s playing so fast, so decisive and he’s making some really great catches, tough catches.

“He’s done a great job for himself over this offseason as well. Man, he’s improved. I see him, he’s confident and he believes that he’s a dude, and he can be for us and he is. And I’m excited to see that confidence that Brevin is displaying throughout.”

A backup to Dalton Schultz, Jordan has six career touchdowns.

“If you go on YouTube, I was a running back growing up my whole life,” Jordan said. “I really moved to receiver my freshman year of high school. I was a running back my whole life. So, I feel like that’s one of those things I really carry with me as a tight end. I like to say I’m a different type of guy. I’m smaller, so I like to be fast and stuff.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com