Mark Gronowski’s stop-and-start run in Miami has ended, and this time the quarterback is heading to Houston.
The former Hawkeye landed with the Texans on their practice squad after the Dolphins cut him loose for the third time this offseason. It’s a sharp turn from the odd summer he spent bouncing in and out of Miami, where the team kept revisiting the same quarterback decision over and over before finally moving on after the 53-man roster cutdown.
Gronowski entered the offseason trying to win the backup job behind starting quarterback Malik Willis, but things never settled for him in Miami. He reportedly battled turnovers in camp, and that early struggle led the Dolphins to waive him before their first preseason game. Then, after the rest of the quarterbacks on the roster performed poorly, Miami brought him back and played him in its final preseason games.
The carousel didn’t stop there. Miami traded away Quinn Ewers, added Kyle McCord, and then released Gronowski again.
After the roster deadline passed, the Dolphins re-signed him to the practice squad, only to part ways with him once more. By Monday, Houston had stepped in.
#Texans signing former #Dolphins @HawkeyeFootball @GoJacksSDSU quarterback Mark Gronowski to practice squad, per a league source. Former East-West Shrine Bowl offensive MVP, FCS All-American, Walter Payton award winner. Passed for 12,049 career yards, 103 touchdowns, 27… pic.twitter.com/gNc2JtNSuQ
- Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 8, 2026
The Texans are looking for help at quarterback after Graham Mertz was placed on IR following a preseason injury, and Gronowski gives them depth they badly need. Houston currently has only two quarterbacks on the roster: starter C.J.
Stroud and veteran backup Davis Mills. With Mertz sidelined, Gronowski has a real opening to fight for the third-string job if the Texans choose to activate him.
There’s even a path, at least in theory, for him to push Mills for the backup role. Nothing is guaranteed, though. Houston could decide to carry only two quarterbacks on the active roster, which would leave Gronowski trying to prove himself first on the practice squad.
For Gronowski, the move gives him a cleaner shot than the one he had in Miami. He was a highly productive college quarterback who somehow went undrafted in 2026 despite drawing interest from multiple organizations before signing with the Dolphins. His college résumé is loaded: NCAA record for wins by a quarterback, 12,049 career passing yards, 103 touchdown passes, an FCS All-American nod, the Walter Payton Award, and offensive MVP honors from the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this season.
That kind of background is exactly why Houston is taking the chance. The Texans need quarterback depth, and Gronowski finally has a chance to work in a situation that looks far less chaotic than the one he just left behind.
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