Denzel Perryman Thinks Texans Coach DeMeco Ryans ‘Still Wants To Play, Low-Key’

Houston Texans' linebacker Denzel Perryman was very complimentary of the passion new head coach DeMeco Ryans has brought to the building.

The only red jersey that Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans wants to wear at practice is a battle red one. At least that's the vibe that the former linebacker has given to some of the players he's now tasked with coaching.

Current Texans linebacker Denzel Perryman was asked this week about what it's like to have a former linebacker as his head coach. In his answer, Perryman acknowledged that he still believes Ryan has the fire of a player inside him. 

“So, me in general, you just cut the tape off and I’m going to be doing that regardless, whether he plays tight end or quarterback,” Perryman said. “But, having a linebacker as a head coach, you can tell by his energy and everything. Like, I told him I feel like he still wants to play, low-key.

Ryans, 38, tore both his left and right Achilles during the course of a 10-year career split between the Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, so physically, he's definitely not at a point where he could actually play in an NFL game. 

But he's less than 10 years removed from his playing career, and if he's managed to find a way to hang onto some of that hunger that he had as a player, that energy can be infectious as he now tries to build a culture as a head coach. 

"Just having that mindset, I mean it’s a defensive mindset and he’s a players’ coach, I can say that," Perryman said. "And he’s been in the same seats that we’ve been in. Literally in the same seats we’ve been in. But, just having a players’ coach in general, I feel like that’s great for the locker room and for the team itself.”

A second-round pick out of Alabama in 2006, Ryans had quite the playing career. During a decade in the NFL, Ryans racked up 970 combined tackles, 72 tackles for a loss, 46 pass deflections, 10 fumble recoveries and seven forced fumbles. 

Ryans was the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award winner in 2006 and made Pro Bowl appearances in 2007 and 2009. 

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