The Houston Texans’ trip to London hit an early snag Friday when the team had to switch planes because of a mechanical issue before leaving Houston.
Reporter Aaron Wilson said the flight was delayed after the problem surfaced, forcing the Texans onto another aircraft. Coach DeMeco Ryans later confirmed the situation after practice in North London, and kept the mood light.
“Whatever can go wrong will go wrong,” the head coach quipped. “We had a little issue with our plane, so we had to change planes there before we left Houston,” Ryans continued.
Ryans said everyone was safe, and quarterback C.J. Stroud said the extended travel time helped the group bond.
The delay also interrupted a travel plan that had been mapped out months earlier. According to the Houston Chronicle, team staff made several visits to London after the schedule was released and ultimately decided on arriving two days before the game.
Wellness director Ladd Harris also helped build out the routine with blue light glasses and an earlier bedtime plan. “We got the guys some cool blue light glasses to kind of help for guys to go to sleep,” Ryans explained.
The Texans followed a similar approach before beating the Jaguars in London back in 2019.
Jacksonville, meanwhile, has already settled into the UK. The Jaguars have been there since last Friday and beat the Philadelphia Eagles 19-17 on Sunday in a game that delivered drama from the opening kickoff.
Two players were ejected after a kickoff brawl, and the finish was even wilder. Philadelphia appeared to have the win after taking the lead with eight seconds left, but a special teams mistake opened the door for Cam Little, who drilled a 57-yard field goal with one second remaining.
The Jaguars stayed in London for their second game of the longer road trip.
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