Being Named Captain 'Meant the World' to Texans Safety Jalen Pitre
Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre shined throughout his rookie campaign in 2022, recording the 11th-most tackles (147) and tied for the second-most interceptions (5) in the NFL. At just 24-years-old, Pitre hopes to take a massive leap this season.
Throughout training camp, when the Texans' defensive players discussed topics related to their side of the ball, Pitre's name often popped up as he's continued to standout. His "mean and aggressive" mindset earned him one of the four captain roles on Monday—joining rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, left tackle Laremy Tunsil and fellow safety Jimmie Ward.
Pitre described his reaction to being voted captain by his teammates during a charity event at Kids’ Meals Inc. on Tuesday.
“It meant the world to me,” Pitre told KPRC2's Aaron Wilson. “I go out every day thinking about the team, just trying to help the team as much as possible. It’s huge. (For them) to vote me in, I take that job very seriously. When I wake up every morning, I’m thinking about it."
Pitre explained how "important" it was to him to receive the honor.
“I was really excited and thankful my teammates chose me and I'm extremely gratefuI," Pitre said. "I look forward to helping the team as much as possible in that role. I just want to be a light for this team.
Pitre revealed how much he cares about his teammates and will do anything for the Texans' future success.
"When I’m struggling in my diet and I want to eat some extra cookies at night, I’m thinking about them," Pitre said. "I don't take that lightly at all.”
Pitre and his fellow captains will first showcase their leadership abilities when the Texans face the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. CT.