Texans E.J. Speed encourages Parker students while chasing Super Bowl: I know the heart of this team
Texans linebacker E.J. Speed covered his face with his left hand while waving his hand back and forth in tune with the music.The scuba dance, performed by Speed and Toro, during a special Parker Elementary School assembly, was part of their fun encouragement for students prepping for the annual STAAR testI feel like we are put in this place to motivate them to chase their dreams, Speed said. Its a great event to motivate them to get to the goals they need. Growing up, its always good to hear positivity. Its very humbling. I did well on this test. It was great. Its just a test. If you prepare, you can have fun with it. I feel like the kids understood that.Speed reached his own level of understanding as a key part of the Texans defense in his first season in Houston. The former Indianapolis Colts starter helped the Texans reach the playoffs for the third year in a row and win one playoff game before their season ended in the AFC divisional round.Speed felt confident enough about the Texans ability to contend and his fit in the defense and special teams to sign a two-year, $13 million maximum value contract rather than head to free agency after his original one-year, $5 million contract expired.Just having a blessing to go back and fight with those guys that I fought with last year, Speed said. We created our brotherhood. They accepted me last year. Now understanding that more is expected, so me just raising my level of play and Im sure everybody else is on the same trend because I know the heart of this team. Everybody just raising their level of play to reach the ultimate goal and go get that Super Bowl.A tall and rangy Tarleton State graduate, Speed signed with the Texans last year over opportunities in free agency with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He was expected to draw significant interest around the league if he had hit the marketplace.Instead, he stayed with the Texans. And expectations are high for them after three consecutive playoff appearances.Honestly, I dont really pay too much attention to anything we did last year, Speed said. Well start a new foundation to what we need to go get. So, whether we won the Super Bowl last year or didnt, itll still be the same thing this year to go get that ring. So, anything we did last year is kind of spilled milk at this point and so what have you done(3:22)for me lately. Im sure everybody in the building is looking at their job and back to work and go back and go win that ring.Speed emerged as an important part of the defense, recording 62 tackles, three for losses, two quarterback hits and one pass defensed in 16 games with nine starts for a playoff squad. He played 44 percent of the defensive snaps and 52 percent of the special teams snaps last season.Since the season, the Texans have added several key pieces to the roster while retaining Speed, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, offensive guard Ed Ingram, extending tight end Dalton Schultz and defensive end Danielle Hunter. They have acquired running back David Montgomery, offensive linemen Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller and safety Reed Blankenship.I think that they added some great players, Speed said. Im sure theyre on their Ps and Qs and doing what they need to do for that. Management is management. Im not here to create a roster. Im here to play, so anything that they do I got a great confidence in them. Look at the roster they built so far.Obviously, we did fall short. So, I cant say that its something that Ill tweak. Anything that I need to adjust to be better, somebody can tell me or advice from in the building they can help me become a better football player become a better person become a better man in any area of my life.Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
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