Several Houston Texans, four to be exact, got an early Christmas present on Tuesday morning when they found out that they were selected for the 2026 Pro Bowl games. Wide receiver Nico Collins, cornerback Derek Stingley, Defensive end Will Anderson were named starters at their positions. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was named a backup at inside linebacker.  

In addition to those four named to the games, three Houston Texans were named alternates, all three of whom are in the Texans’ secondary — cornerback Kamari Lassiter (first), safety Calen Bullock (first), and safety Jalen Pitre (fifth). 

The Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks tied for a league-best six selections each. The Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles also earned five selections per team. Here are the thumbnail sketches for all four Texan players named to the Pro Bowl games:

NICO COLLINS

Collins is heading to his second Pro Bowl games, and he is the first Texans receiver to gain that honor in back to back seasons since DeAndre Hopkins in 2018 and 2019. This season, Collins overcame a somewhat slow start to where now his 1,060 receiving yards are seventh in the NFL and second in the AFC. 

DEREK STINGLEY

Stingley, like Collins, is headed to his second Pro Bowl. Stingley is one of four Texans with at least four interceptions on the season, including his first career picks six last Sunday against the Raiders. Stingley is the only player in the NFL with at least four picks in each fo the last three seasons. Stingley becomes just the second cornerback in team history to make back to back Pro Bowls, joining Johnathan Joseph (2001 and 2012). 

WILL ANDERSON

In his third NFL season, Anderson is heading to back to back Pro Bowls, this time as a starter. The former third overall picks has evolved into one of the vocal leaders of the Texans’ defense, while piling up some impressive pass rushing numbers. His 11.5 sacks rank fifth in the NFL, while his 17 tackles for loss rank fourth. Anderson is a Next Gen Stats fiend, as his 79 pressures are third most in the NFL, and his pressure rate (20.9 percent) is second in the league. Anderson is going to get paid this offseason. 

AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR

In his second season as a Houston Texan, Al-Shaair, a team captain, is heading to the first Pro Bowl of his seven year NFL career. Al-Shaair leads the Texans in tackles with 96 total, and is the anchor for a defense that has led the NFL in scoring and yardage allowed all season. 

As far snubs go, the Texan players I’m most surprised didn’t land even on the alternate list are defensive end Danielle Hunter and tight end Dalton Schultz. 

For the first time, the Pro Bowl Games will move to Super Bowl LX Week in the San Francisco Bay Area. The event will air live on Tuesday, Feb. 3. on ESPN starting at 5:30 p.m. CT with the flag game at 7 p.m. CT. 

This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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