Houston Texans to place Jadeveon Clowney on season-ending IR

Houston Texans rookie Jadeveon Clowney will be placed on season-ending injured reserve and undergo surgery on his right knee, the team announced on Thursday. The Texans selected Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. The 6-foot-5, 266-pound outside linebacker has played in only four games this season, recording seven total tackles and zero sacks.

Houston Texans rookie Jadeveon Clowney will be placed on season-ending injured reserve and undergo surgery on his right knee, coach Bill O'Brien announced on Thursday. 

The Texans selected Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. The 6-foot-5, 266-pound outside linebacker has played in only four games this season, recording seven total tackles and zero sacks.

O'Brien commented on the news: "I think highly of all these players here... As it relates to JD, this guy's been injured and it's time to clean it up," he said.

The announcement comes after Clowney met with Dr. James Andrews about the knee.

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He missed six games after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in Houston's season-opening victory over the Washington Redskins and returned for the team's Oct. 26 victory over the Tennessee Titans. 

Clowney then sat out Houston's Nov. 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles due to both his knee and an illness.

He played two of the team's past three games, including a Nov. 23 loss to the Bengals in which he recorded a season-high three tackles, but sat out Sunday's victory over the Titans.

Houston is 6-6 and in second place in the AFC South.

- Chris Johnson