Stanford legend Dalton Schultz scores first TD of 2024 in Houston Texans win

For the first time this year, Dalton Schultz found the end zone to help the Texans earn another big win.

Dec 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz (86) and quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) celebrate a touchdown in the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

All season long, he has been waiting patiently for his turn to score a touchdown. And finally in week 13, former Stanford tight end Dalton Schultz did just that, catching his first touchdown of the season for the Houston Texans in the team’s 23-20 nail biting win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It was 16-6 Texans with just over 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter when second year quarterback C.J. Stroud dropped back to pass out of the shotgun and found Schultz wide open for a 22-yard score, with Schultz walking into the end zone untouched.

CJ Stroud (15) to Dalton Schultz (1)
Houston Texans
22 yards
pic.twitter.com/X9PMC9KLY1

— NFL Touchdown Videos (@NFLTDsVideos) December 1, 2024

For the afternoon, Schultz finished as the Texans’ second leading receiver behind Nico Collins, catching five passes for 61 yards and that one score. After his big game this week, Schultz now has 41 catches for 424 yards, and while he is on pace for the lowest statistical season of his career since his rookie season in 2018, Schultz has been a good fit in Houston, proving himself to be a strong blocking tight end.

With the win, the Texans now sit at 8-5 and lead the AFC South by two games, with the second place Indianapolis Colts improving to 6-7 after a win over the Patriots. Winning the division last season at 10-7 and making it all the way to the AFC Divisional Round before losing to the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans are shooting for not only their second straight division title but an even deeper run in the playoffs.

A three year starter for Stanford after redshirting in his true freshman season, Schultz finished his college career with 55 catches for 555 yards and five touchdowns in 33 games played. His best season came in 2017, his final year, where he caught 22 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns, and earned him First-Team All-Pac 12 honors. After the season, he declared for the NFL Draft where he was selected in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys.