'Believing!' 'Friday Night Lights' Coach Predicts Super Bowl for C.J. Stroud's Texans

The Houston Texans fell short in 2023, but it's hard to be pessimistic about this team's trajectory. The team and United channeled that optimism before the Super Bowl.

As it holds the eyes and ears of seemingly every household in America, the Super Bowl is famous for more than just the star-studded teams it hosts every year. Companies break out their best and brightest to bring funny, moving, and memorable commercials to the biggest stage.

The Houston Texans got in on the Super Bowl fun, too, although they of course won’t be partaking in Sunday night’s festivities. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will square off in a legacy-defining contest, while 30 teams wait for their chance to do the same next season.

Houston posted an ad of their own on Sunday, partnering with United Airlines to take advantage of the Super Bowl hoopla. The video, featuring actor Kyle Chandler – Coach Taylor from "Friday Night Lights'' – rallying the Texans fanbase.

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) celebrates with quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) after a touchdown in a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

“Houston, I know you’re watching other people’s teams play today, but today is all they get,” Chandler said. “Tomorrow is yours. The pieces are all there. Next season you put ‘em together and you win it all.”

High school football is the lifeblood of Texas. Keying in on their target demographic by pulling at their heartstrings – regarding football both real and make-believe – Chandler makes it easy to be optimistic about the upcoming season.

At this point, it’s nearly impossible not to be. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has established a winning culture and orchestrated one of the quickest turnarounds in recent memory. Quarterback C.J. Stroud just took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after swooning the Houston faithful and stealing the hearts of fans across the country.

There’s room for improvement, but the AFC Divisional Round may be a launching pad for additional postseason contention. The coming months will help shape the Texans’ fate in what may be an already-open Super Bowl window.

“Texans fans, this is about believing,” Chandler continued. “Believing so hard that you book your flight to next year’s big game before the season even starts. Because believing that hard can change everything.”

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It’s a nice rallying cry, especially if one clicks away before the actual advertising part of the video begins. Just in case Houston doesn’t make it to the big game, United is offering no fees to change flights.