Jayden Higgins is starting to look like more than just a promising rookie - he’s becoming a clutch performer in one of the NFL’s most rapidly ascending offenses.
Drafted 34th overall out of Iowa State, Higgins has quietly been a steady presence for the Texans all season long. He’s recorded at least one catch in 12 of 13 games, the lone exception coming in Week 7 against Seattle.
And when he’s more involved? The Texans are undefeated - 7-0 in games where Higgins either hauls in four receptions or finds the end zone.
That’s not a coincidence. That’s impact.
But Sunday night’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs offered something different. Higgins didn’t light up the box score.
He didn’t score. He didn’t even notch four catches.
What he did do was deliver in the moments that decide games - and in doing so, he may have taken a meaningful step forward in his evolution from role player to go-to guy.
Fourth Quarter, 13:35 - 3rd and 17
This was the kind of play that coaches circle in film sessions and teammates remember in the locker room. Houston was pinned deep after a sack on second down, facing a daunting 3rd and 17. The Chiefs had just flipped momentum, and the Texans needed something - anything - to avoid handing the ball back to Patrick Mahomes with great field position.
Enter Higgins.
With the pocket collapsing again, C.J. Stroud stepped up through traffic and spotted Higgins working the sticks.
The rookie wideout made the grab, spun to absorb contact, and stretched across the line to gain. First down.
Drive extended. Maybe more importantly, Houston flipped field position and kept Mahomes off the field.
That sequence didn’t lead to points, but it shifted the rhythm of the game - and Higgins was at the center of it.
Fourth Quarter, 9:02 - 3rd and 3
Just minutes later, the Texans were handed a golden opportunity. Kansas City had gambled - a 4th-and-1 pass attempt from their own 31 - and lost. Now Houston had the ball, a lead, and a chance to put the game away.
On 3rd and 3, with the Chiefs’ defensive front crashing in, Chris Jones knifed through the line and flushed Stroud from the pocket. Rolling right, Stroud fired a dart on the move to Higgins, who was exactly where he needed to be.
Eight-yard gain. First down.
Three plays later, Dare Ogunbowale punched in a touchdown that put the game out of reach.
Again, it wasn’t flashy. But it was winning football.
Emerging Trust, Expanding Role
Up to this point, Nico Collins has been the unquestioned top target when Stroud needs a play. He’s the guy defenses key on when it’s crunch time.
But Higgins is making a case to be that guy, too - or at least one of those guys. And that’s a big deal for a Texans offense that’s already shown flashes of being elite.
What Higgins is showing - especially in high-pressure situations - is the kind of reliability that quarterbacks come to trust. He’s not just running routes; he’s making plays that extend drives, flip momentum, and win games.
The term “clutch gene” gets thrown around a lot, but if you’re looking for evidence of it in action, rewind Sunday night’s tape. Higgins didn’t dominate the stat sheet - he dominated the moment. And in the NFL, that might matter even more.
It’s still early in his career, and no one’s penciling him into the Pro Bowl just yet. But if Higgins continues to deliver like this, he’s going to be a problem for defensive coordinators - and a major asset for a Texans team that’s building something real in Houston.
Keep an eye on No. 17.
He’s not just part of the offense. He’s starting to look like a difference-maker.