'New Puzzle Piece!' Texans’ Jalen Pitre on Johnathan Joseph

Houston Texans defensive back Jalen Pitre is getting better in year two with the help of Texans legend Johnathan Joseph.

Former Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph has bounced around camp this summer as a member of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. He’s drawn high praise and a young Houston team has kindly taken to his leadership. Now, they’re reaping the benefits.

Texans safety Jalen Pitre made an immediate impact as a rookie, solidifying himself amongst the league’s best safeties. He’s known for his combination of athleticism and processing, which lends itself to takeaways. Pitre intercepted five passes and recovered a fumble on his way to a fifth place finish in the race for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

On Wednesday, he spoke about the influence Joseph has had in the film room.

“I want to give a shoutout to J-Jo,” he started. “Real smart guy. I used to sit with him in the meetings when he was here and he challenged me a lot because he talked to me about stuff that I had never seen.”

Joseph already earned the praise of head coach DeMeco Ryans earlier this month. Joseph worked with the defensive backs, including cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., the former third overall selection. Stingley joins Pitre as a second-year player headlining a young defense.

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Pitre, who is widely praised for his acumen in the film room, claimed Johnson opened his eyes in meetings.

“The things that he was seeing at corner and the formation tips, the alignment tips,” Pitre added. “That’s been there my whole life but I never [saw] it.”

Houston may not be expected to compete in 2023, but Pitre, Stingley, and rookie edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. have potential that’s easy to get excited about. Even if it doesn’t show up in the win column, fans can expect production early and often from that trio. For now, Pitre will stick to preparing for the regular season.

“It’s always fun to find a new piece of the puzzle,” he said.

Pitre and the Texans will visit the Baltimore Ravens for Week 1 festivities on Sept. 10.