We covered this possibility earlier in the week. And now midway through their bye week, the Houston Texans have made it official. Head coach Bill O’Brien announced on Wednesday that the team has benched veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in favor of Ryan Mallett (via HoustonTexans.com).
I just felt like in the best interest of the team,” O’Brien said. “This is the decision I needed to make.
O’Brien previously talked about attempting to find a spark on the offensive side of the ball, which led to speculation about Fitzpatrick’s job security. The veteran has thrown 11 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions in nine starts this season. However, he simply wasn’t doing enough to open up the offense or push the ball down the field.
Turning to former New England Patriots third-round pick Ryan Mallett, the Texans now have a strong-armed quarterback who might be able to open up a struggling passing game and help Arian Foster out on the ground moving forward this season.
For his part, Mallett had this to say about the opportunity.
I’m going to be aggressive and I’m going to stay within the gameplan,” Mallett said. “I’m passionate about this game and I’m passionate about my teammates.
Following the team’s loss on Sunday, Mallett took to Twitter in what appeared to be a way to lobby for the starting job. And while those posts have since been deleted, it’s not a secret that he’s been waiting a while for a starting opportunity in the NFL. The Arkansas product entered the league in 2011 and sat behind Tom Brady in New England for three seasons. He was acquired in a preseason deal for a sixth-round pick.
Photo: HoustonTexans.com