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Bloody Offseason

Sad truth: Owen Daniels needed to go — Texans right to shed overpaid past for a Belichick-like future

Chris Baldwin
Mar 11, 2014 | 12:08 pm

The first real blow in what's sure to be a long bloody offseason for the Houston Texans hit when the team released tight end fan favorite Owen Daniels. The word came down just hours before NFL free agency officially opens on Tuesday afternoon.

And despite the emotional reaction from fans on Twitter, the Texans and new coach Bill O'Brien clearly did the right thing.

The team saves $4.5 million against the salary cap by jettisoning Daniels. There's no debating that Daniels is a real standup guy who is great in the community (he and his wife Angela became something of a fixture on Houston's charity social scene). But he's also a 31-year-old coming off a fractured fibula who peaked as a player in 2008. That's light years ago in NFL years.

There are few truly unexpendable players in the NFL. Owen Daniels was never close to being one. And he's further away than ever at 31.

A 2-14 team cannot afford to pay that kind of player $6.25 million (which would have been Daniels' salary in 2014 if he wasn't cut). Daniels is an out-priced luxury for a 2-14 team. Especially with an emerging tight end talent under contract in Ryan Griffin and another younger tight end own free agent in 27-year-old Garrett Graham, who the team would rather sign.

And even if the Texans don't resign Graham — and they won't if the money gets anywhere close to crazy — there are plenty of sleeper tight ends who will be available in the NFL Draft.

Reality is Owen Daniels never had a chance to be on the 2014 Texans. Which is why all those breathless reports from Texans writers on his willingness to restructure his contract rang rather ridiculous. The Texans never really considered keeping him.

Not after he missed the last 11 games of last season with a broken leg. Not with sometimes insanely loyal (see Matt Schaub) Gary Kubiak gone.

Despite the pain, this move is a good sign in no small way. It eliminates any doubt — and did you really have any? — that O'Brien will run the Texans with the same ruthless efficiency Bill Belichick's always shown in New England. It's a harsh truth, but a truth nonetheless. There are few truly unexpendable players in the NFL.

Owen Daniels was never close to being one. He's not an Arian Foster or Andre Johnson level offensive super talent. And he's further away than ever at age 31. He had some productive 70, 63 and 62-catch seasons sprinkled among his eight years in Houston. He produced some nice moments for a franchise that's never won anything of major significance.

But he's no Jimmy Graham. A 2-14 team cannot afford to cry over Owen Daniels.

Owen Daniels' time as a Houston Texan is done.

Owen Daniels Texans down
Photo by © Michelle Watson CultureMapSNAP.com
Owen Daniels' time as a Houston Texan is done.
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for the win

Cheer on these Texans competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics

Amber Heckler
Feb 5, 2026 | 10:30 am
Emily Chan, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater
teamusa.com/
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The XXV Winter Olympic Games, also known as the Milano Cortina 2026, are right around the corner, running February 6-22 in northern Italy. Out of the 2,900 athletes who will participate in this year's Games, 232 will represent the U.S., with four hailing from the Lone Star State.

Houston residents might recognize one local athlete in particular: Figure skater Emily Chan, who is a Pasadena native.

To catch these Texas-born athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics, viewers can tune in to NBC and its affiliate networks, websites, and apps (like Peacock).

Without further ado, these are the Winter Olympians competing for Team USA with roots in Texas. (Note that there are other athletes with Texas ties, like Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars, who are competing in the Olympics but aren't considered Texans.)

Hannah Bilka, 24
Sport: Ice hockey
Texas tie: Bilka grew up in Coppell and is the youngest of four children. At age six, she followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Anthony, and started playing hockey. Due to a "lack of girls’ hockey teams in Texas," she grew up playing hockey with boys.
Fun facts: She won the 2024 National Championship in women’s ice hockey with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the same university where she earned a master's degree in sport management. Her two older sisters, Christina and Stephanie, were figure skaters.
When to watch: The women's ice hockey preliminary round begins on Thursday, February 5. The women's bronze and gold medal matches will take place on Thursday, February 19.

Hannah Bilka, 2026 Winter Olympics hockey player Hannah Bilka is one of two North Texans competing in this year's Games.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Emily Chan, 28
Sport: Pairs figure skating
Texas tie: Chan hails from Houston suburb Pasadena, but she also calls Dallas home. She graduated from Texas Online Preparatory School as the valedictorian.
Fun facts: She loves to cook, bake, make jewelry, and dreams of opening her own café in the future. Her longtime skating partner, Spencer Akira Howe, is from Los Angeles. They both relocated to train at the Skating Club of Boston in 2019, where Chan now coaches young figure skaters. Chan is also pursuing a family and marriage counseling degree from Grand Canyon University.
When to watch: The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The pairs figure skating competition begins on Wednesday, February 16.

Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe In addition to being a top-notch figure skater, Emily Chan is also trained in Chinese modern dance and ballet.teamusa.com/

Amber Glenn, 26
Sport: Singles figure skating
Texas tie: She was born in Plano, and started skating at just five years-old.
Fun facts: Glenn is a mental health advocate and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She came out as pansexual in 2019. She loves to play Magic: The Gathering, and her dog, Uki, is named after stalking shadow card Ukkima. She also enjoys anime and Star Wars. On Friday, May 29, Glenn will visit the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb Allen during the 2026 Stars on Ice Tour.
When to watch:
The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The women's singles free skate competition begins Thursday, February 19.

Amber Glenn, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater from Plano Plano's famous figure skater Amber Glenn is on the roster. teamusa.com/

Boone Niederhofer, 32
Sport: Bobsledding
Texas tie: Niederhofer grew up in San Antonio, and later became a wide receiver at Texas A&M University. His father, Dan, played football for Abilene Christian University. Niederhofer and his family previously lived in Midland.
Fun facts: Niederhofer has a degree in petroleum engineering and worked in Texas' oil and gas industry while competing in bobsledding competitions.
When to watch: The bobsled competition begins on Sunday, February 15. The men's two-man heat will take place on Tuesday, February 17, and the men's four-man heat is scheduled for Sunday, February 22.

Boone Niederhofer, 2026 Winter Olympics bobsledder Boone Niederhofer is a former Texas A&M University football player.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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