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In breakthrough season, Texans’ Derek Stingley Jr. named to Pro Bowl, joined by Laremy Tunsil, Nico Collins, Joe Mixon

Six Texans are alternates: Danielle Hunter, Tommy Townsend, Will Anderson Jr., C.J. Stroud, Ka’imi Fairbairn and Jimmie Ward.

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) strips the ball from Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on a pass reception late in the second half of their NFL football game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) (Miami Herald, ALDIAZ / MIAMI HERALD)

HOUSTON – One year after being snubbed, Texans star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. has parlayed a healthy breakthrough season headlined by his dominant performance against Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill to be named to his first Pro Bowl.

Stingley is joined by wide receiver Nico Collins, another first-time selection, along with left tackle Laremy Tunsil and running back Joe Mixon in the Pro Bowl.

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‘All-Pro Sting, one of a kind, best in the league’ Texans corner Derek Stingley Jr. dominates Dolphins star Tyreek Hill

A former third overall pick and consensus All-American from LSU, Stingley is a lockdown corner with elite cover skills, hands, instincts and body control. He had two interceptions against the Dolphins in one-on-one coverage on Hill, taking the football away from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to put the game away in December and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

After that game, teammates in the locker room kept calling Stingley “All-Pro Sting.” And now he’s Pro Bowl Sting.

“Obviously, when you earn recognition in the league from fans, peers, coaches, it’s an honor,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. “And I think we’ve all seen the growth that Sting’s gone through in kind of the last couple years. And so to see that growth sort of translate to other people seeing the work he’s put in, I mean, we see it every day and see sort of the transition he’s made into that type of player that he’s become and so I think it’s always cool to see that when outside people kind of witness the same thing and recognize the work he’s put in to get where he is today.”

Unlike last year when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury, Stingley started every game and has a career-high 54 tackles, four tackles for losses, 18 passes defensed and tied his career-high with five interceptions for the second year in a row for the AFC South champions.

“Yeah, Stingley has played good ball for us,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s made a lot of plays, taking the ball away. I think people have recognized what he’s able to do around the league. I think he has the respect of his peers, coaches around the league. They see the growth. They see how he’s stepped up and took on some tough challenges throughout the year.

‘So, he deserves whatever credit that he’s getting. I think it matters most when it’s coming from your peers and coaches around the league. People who are constantly watching film, diving in and they know how they truly know how guys are playing and how they are helping their teams and I think Stingley has earned that respect around the league.”

Stingley is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and is certainly deserving of a blockbuster payday, which the Texans are more than amenable to negotiating at the right time.

“He is probably the best athlete I have been around in my life,” Stroud said. “Ball skills, speed, strength, size and just someone who I have seen grow as a player. I am just very happy for him, especially having this type of year before I think he can renegotiate. I know he is about to get a bag and I am happy for him, he deserves it. That is not his motivation, which is dope, it is just being elite at football, and I think he is going to be great in this league for a long time.”

Collins is another first-time Pro Bowl, despite missing five games with a pulled hamstring. At one point, Collins was on pace for over 100 catches and 2,000 receiving yards. He has 63 catches for 968 yards and six touchdowns after signing a three-year, $75 million contract this offseason. He ranks fourth in the NFL and second in the AFC with 88.0 receiving yards per game. He can become the fourth wide receiver in franchise history to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with 32 more receiving yards Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

“To be able to miss five games and still make the Pro Bowl is a blessing,” Collins said. “There’s probably some people out there that are mad about it, it is what it is, can’t change how you feel. But I’m happy I’m there, that’s a goal for me that I can say that I did. I’m glad I got to go, I’m glad the people voted for me. It means a lot.”

Tunsil leads the Texans in pass protection grades, according to Pro Football Focus analytics, and started every game. He is a starter in the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row and was named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time. He hasn’t allowed a sack since the first game and is ranked fourth in the NFL with an 89.0 pass blocking grade and second in the AFC.

‘LT in particular for me is a guy that really gets me fired up,” Slowik said. “I know I have mentioned it to everybody here before but there was a period where I really thought LT was playing the best football that I have seen him play when I have been around him. He has continued that as we have kept going, his pass protection has been really well done and he has continued to excel in that regard. In the run game he has really taken a step in what he has been able to do for us on the left side over there.”

Mixon, acquired in an offseason trade from the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick, has been one of general manager Nick Caserio’s best offseason moves.

Signed to a three-year, $27 million contract extension Mixon is back in the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career after rushing for 993 yards and 11 touchdowns for an average of 4.1 yards per carry.

He has 35 receptions for 304 yards with one touchdown in 13 starts., missing time with a high-ankle sprain suffered on an illegal hip drop tackle against the Chicago Bears. Mixon is the only player in the league to accumulate 1,200 yards from scrimmage in each of the last four seasons. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week award after a 150-yard rushing game against the Indianapolis Colts and became the first player since at least 1970 to post at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown in six consecutive road contests this season.

“You can’t just not feel a certain type of way about making the Pro Bowl for a second time actually making it,” Mixon said. “I think it’s obviously an honor. Without the big guys in front of me, guys on the perimeter, and (Slowik) dialing it up, I wouldn’t be nothing. So, I’m thankful and grateful. It’s a team award to me to be real.”

Six teammates were named alternates to the Pro Bowl: defensive end Danielle Hunter (first), punter Tommy Townsend (first), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (second), quarterback C.J. Stroud (second), kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn (fourth) and safety Jimmie Ward (fourth).

“There’s a lot of factors that go into all those votes and stuff, but we are extremely pleased with everything both Danielle and Will have brought to the table, to the team, to the defense,” defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. “From a production standpoint, those numbers speak for themselves. Not everybody can get recognized in all these things. There’s limits on that stuff. They both got recognition at some level from the Pro Bowl, but I’d put those two at the top of the league with anyone.”

The Pro Bowl is a two-day skills challenge in Orlando starting Jan. 30 followed by a flag football game on Feb. 2.

“The Pro Bowl is cool and all, but I’m a person of firm belief that if you speak things into existence,” Mixon said. “Hopefully this year, we’re not playing for the Pro Bowl. We’re there for the Super Bowl. So just got to keep going and thinking positive and try to do whatever we can to make it happen.”

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


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Aaron Wilson is an award-winning Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and www.click2houston.com. He has covered the NFL since 1997, including previous stints for The Houston Chronicle and The Baltimore Sun. This marks his 10th year covering the Texans after previously covering a Super Bowl winning team in Baltimore.

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