The Houston Texans’ defense has been turning heads all season, and now they’ve got the seal of approval from one of the best to ever do it. Richard Sherman - the heart and soul of Seattle’s legendary Legion of Boom - gave Houston’s unit a major nod this week, and when a player of Sherman’s pedigree speaks up, it’s worth listening.
On the This Is Football podcast, Sherman was asked a simple question: if he were still lacing up the cleats, which current defensive scheme would he want to play in? His answer was immediate - the Houston Texans.
“Any scheme? It’d be Houston’s,” Sherman said.
“They run a lot of different things, but they keep it simple. They’re either in man, three, they run a little two.
They don’t disguise crazy. They just say, ‘Hey.
Gap, sound, accountability football. We gonna get in your face.
We gonna be physical. Everybody’s running and hitting.
We taking the ball away. And you gonna have to deal with us.’
I would love to play in that scheme.”
That’s not just lip service - that’s a Hall of Fame-caliber cornerback seeing something familiar in the Texans’ approach. What Sherman described is exactly what’s made Houston such a problem for offenses this year: a straight-up, no-frills, punch-you-in-the-mouth style of defense that thrives on discipline, aggression, and speed.
And the respect is mutual. Derek Stingley Jr., Houston’s standout cornerback, has made it clear that Sherman’s Legion of Boom helped set the tone for what this Texans secondary is becoming.
“Y’all changed the game,” Stingley told Sherman. “The physicality, the attitude, all of that.
That’s the standard. You take something from everybody and make it your own.”
That’s exactly what this Texans defense is doing - taking a blueprint that worked in Seattle and building their own identity with it. And like those great Seahawks teams, Houston’s defense isn’t just about a star-studded secondary (though they’ve got that part covered). It’s the total package.
Start with the back end. The Texans have four defensive backs - Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre, and Calen Bullock - who are playing at a Pro Bowl level.
That’s not an exaggeration. Each one brings something unique to the field, but they all play with the same edge.
They’re fast, physical, and unafraid to make plays in space or come downhill and hit.
Sherman couldn’t help but spotlight Lassiter in particular, saying, “You would think [Lassiter] is like a 250-pound linebacker, and he’s not that big, but he plays huge, and he plays fast.” That’s high praise from a guy who knows a thing or two about playing with physicality at the corner spot.
But what really makes this defense hum is the balance across all three levels. The defensive line is deep and relentless.
Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are the headliners up front, and they’re doing more than just collapsing pockets - they’re dictating games. Houston’s edge rushers don’t just get pressure; they force quarterbacks into bad decisions that the ball-hawking secondary is more than happy to capitalize on.
Behind them, the linebackers are flying around the field. They’re not just filling gaps - they’re erasing plays before they can develop. It’s a group that plays fast and with purpose, and when you combine that with the kind of lockdown coverage happening behind them, it’s no wonder opposing offenses are struggling to find answers.
Sherman summed it up best: Houston’s defense doesn’t try to fool you. They just line up, hit you in the mouth, and dare you to respond. It’s a throwback mentality with modern speed and versatility - and it’s working.
The comparisons to the Legion of Boom aren’t just lazy parallels anymore. They’re earned. The Texans have built something special on defense - something that’s not only dominating now, but could be setting the foundation for a new era of defensive excellence in the NFL.
Fast. Smart.
Nasty. Physical.
Sound familiar? It should. This Houston defense is for real - and they’re just getting started.