DeForest Buckner isn’t pretending the road back was easy.
The Colts defensive lineman said he had real doubts after dealing with multiple injuries, even thinking about stepping away from the game at one point. Buckner said those moments were serious enough that he leaned on the people closest to him, especially his wife, while he tried to figure out what came next.
“ Early on, I definitely had questions whether I’d be standing here today, ’’ Buckner said, via Fox 59. “I had moments of thinking of hanging up the cleats and everything like that.
But that’s just not things roll in the Buckner household. So, I’m obviously having those conversations with people closest to me, mainly my wife.
She just was by my side each and every step of the way, just supporting me, taking it one day at a time. ’’
Colts coach Shane Steichen made it clear he’s thrilled to have Buckner back in the mix and sees him as one of the tone-setters on the roster. Steichen said he has a deep appreciation for everything Buckner brings, from his work on the field to the way he carries himself away from it.
“ I’ve got so much respect and appreciation for him,” Steichen said of Buckner. “ He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever been around.
Just the person that he is, the worker that he is, the player that he is, the husband that he is, what he does in the community. “I mean, he’s top-notch.
And to see him come back from (surgery) . . . I’m not surprised just because the way he works.
Great teammate, great leader, and to see him back at training camp going full speed and going about it, I mean, he looks great right now. I’m really excited for him this year.’’
In Houston, C.J. Stroud opened the season with the kind of spotlight that never really turns off.
His contract situation, last year’s late-season struggles and the Texans’ big expectations for 2026 all keep the attention trained squarely on him. Against the Bills in Week 1, he put together a stat line that had both promise and pain: 274 passing yards, two touchdowns and two lost fumbles.
The final turnover was the killer. After driving Houston all the way to Buffalo’s 9-yard-line with a chance to take the lead, Stroud was sacked and lost the ball a few plays later, helping close out a 36-31 loss.
Even so, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans pushed back on the idea that Stroud was the reason Houston came up short. Ryans said the quarterback was in command from start to finish and credited him for how he handled the game.
“C.J. was very much in control the entire game,” Ryans said via texanscommenter. “Took what the defense gave him.
Made great decisions with the football. Proud of the way he played today.
He showed what he’s been showing all camp, that confidence, that growth. Was very calm, great demeanor, putting us in a great position to win the game.
“Unfortunately, we lost the football there two times. Don’t want those plays at all, but not going to let that overshadow the game that he had.
Offense put up way more points than needed for us to win this game. Could’ve definitely played much better defensively.”
The Texans may have left Week 1 with a loss, but Ryans made his stance on Stroud pretty clear: the quarterback did enough to win. The defense, in his view, is where the game got away.
In Other News...
Texans Just Sent A Telling Signal About Their Week 2 Offense
The Texans made a quiet but telling move ahead of their Week 2 matchup with the Bengals, reshuffling the back end of the roster by parting ways with quarterback Mark Gronkowski from the practice squad and bringing in wide receiver Bryce Oliver. Gronkowski had been serving as Houstons third quarterback, but the addition of Oliver gives the team an extra body at receiver and pushes the practice squad in a different direction.
Oliver arrives with some NFL experience after time on the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns practice squads, and he has appeared in 13 league games. For Houston, the move reads like a small personnel tweak on paper, but it also hints at where the staff wants more flexibility as the offense gets ready for Sundays test against Cincinnati. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Stroud Is Already Fueling A Texans Receiver Storyline
C.J. Stroud did his part to keep the Texans wide receiver conversation moving after Kayshon Bouttes debut, publicly praising the newcomer even after a modest first outing in Houston. The receiver arrived via trade from the New England Patriots and quickly became part of a room that is still taking shape as the Texans settle in for the early part of the season.
With Week 2 against the Bengals on deck, Boutte already looks like a player whose usage bears watching. Houston is still sorting out roles in the passing game, and Strouds endorsement only adds to the sense that Boutte could have a larger footprint soon, even if the first game only offered a brief glimpse of what the Texans may want from him. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Stroud Faces One Texans Problem He Can't Repeat Against Bengals
As the Texans turn from Week 1 to a meeting with the Bengals, C.J. Stroud is already focused on the part of his game that cant carry over. Cincinnati brings a defensive front that should test Houston up front, and Stroud knows the margin for error shrinks quickly when the pressure starts to close in.
Stroud also understands that the Bengals heavy use of man coverage can create chances downfield if Houston handles the protection and the timing properly. The bigger concern, though, is the same one that hurt him in the previous game: ball security, especially fumbles, which he cannot afford to make a habit of if the Texans want to keep the offense on schedule. [Read more 🡒]