Beyond the Boxscore

Ryan Tannehill shows he's more than a hot wife, swears no one cares he doesn'tknow the NFL divisions

Ryan Tannehill is one of five rookie quarterbacks set to start Week One in theNFL.
The last time Ryan Tannehill was in Reliant Stadium he was raising a trophy —and looking very Texas.
Photo By Jeremy Keas

Everyone assumed Lauren Tannehill was going to dominate HBO's Hard Knocks. But it turns out the attractive blonde's husband — former Texas A&M quarterback turned Miami Dolphins rookie starter Ryan Tannehill — has a little TV game too.

Or at least the ability to shock an NFL audience with a complete lack of knowledge about the league that's paying him millions.

Tannehill's inability to list off the NFL's divisions — or even get a few teams' locations close to right (how about the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFC!) — is one of the all-time classicHard Knocks moments. The incredulous look on the face of Matt Moore — the quarterback who lost his job to Tannehill — matched that of many football-obsessed home viewers. But if you think Tannehill is haunted, hounded or even slightly fazed by his dash of TV infamy, you need to think again.

"I still can't name (the NFL's divisions)," Tannehill laughs. "Maybe that will be an offseason project."

"Really not too many guys on the team have messed with me," Tannehill says in a conference call with Houston reporters. "I don't know if they saw it when it aired. I get a hard time from the (other) quarterbacks.

"Other than that it's not too bad."

The 24-year-old who made only 19 college starts at Texas A&M is hardly chastened by the experience.

"I still can't name (the NFL's divisions)," Tannehill laughs. "Maybe that will be an offseason project."

Tannehill's current project is preparing to take on arguably the NFL's best defense in a covered stadium packed with opposing fans certain that their team is Super Bowl worthy. You wanted to start in the NFL. There's your first start, kid.

Of course, Tannehill isn't a kid. He's a married man who figures at least he'll be back in Texas.

"It’s exciting," he says. "Anytime you get to come back home to your home state its good. I went back last week for the last preseason game against Dallas and now this week against Houston.

"It’s always exciting to go back and see a few family members and things like that. To have my first start in Texas is pretty exciting.”

Tannehill is no stranger to Reliant Stadium. His last college game for the Aggies saw him throwing for 329 yards, walking away with an 11-point bowl game win and celebrating by donning a cowboy hat at Reliant.

Of course, Tannehill did that all against the 81st-ranked defense in college football in Northwestern. On Sunday, he goes against the second-ranked defense in the NFL. Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will have plenty of wrinkles for the rookie.

Forget Tannehill having to become the next Dan Marino for those ever-elusive Dolphins fans. How about just surviving?

"It's exciting to be playing our full defense," defensive end J.J. Watt says. "Guys are going to be coming from all over the place. It's fun."

Forget Tannehill having to become the next Dan Marino for those ever-elusive Dolphins fans. How about just surviving?

Tannehill doesn't seem much bothered by the size of the task though. The conference call — done immediately after a series of meetings for Tannehill — finds him relaxed and composed. He almost comes across as oblivious to the pressure as he is to the NFL conference alignment.

If you think about what Tannehill's already been through in his run to the NFL — getting switched to wide receiver despite his strong protests against it at A&M, coming back to not only QB start for the Aggies but turn himself into a first-round NFL Draft pick, seeing his young wife become an Internet sensation that's largely fueled by drooling frat boys — not letting things bother him just may be one of his most valuable attributes.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak, a former Texas A&M quarterback himself, is already a Tannehill believer.

"I’m very impressed," Kubiak says. "I went into the draft thinking he’s a franchise player."

They don't test your pro game knowledge at the NFL Combine. It's all about if you can make the throws. Maybe it doesn't matter that your average casual fantasy football player knows more about the NFL's setup than Tannehill. Look who's starting Week One.

"It’s been a goal of mine for a really long time to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, and this really, really kicks it off," Tannehill says.

Who knows? Maybe sometimes it's good to be unknowing — and almost proud of it.

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Cougar Red and Houston Blue

UH expands 'Houston Blue' uniforms, despite NFL cease-and-desist

UH continues using Houston Blue uniforms despite NFL rebuke

Photo courtesy of Houston Athletics

Luv ya Blue running wild.

University of Houston Athletics are in a “Luv ya blue” mood and they don’t care who knows it — not even the NFL.

The university has announced that its football and volleyball teams will wear new Houston Blue jerseys, reminiscent of the classic colors of the Houston Oilers era. The volleyball team's uniform will debut theirs starting November 9 against Texas Tech, while the football team will debut theirs against Baylor on November 23. At the latter event, the first 20,000 fans will receive commemorative Houston Blue rally towels.

The resemblance of the new colors to the Oilers brand was not lost on the NFL. When UH Athletics started incorporating Houston Blue into their uniforms in September 2023, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming the uniforms were an attempt to leech off the legacy of the Oilers and the intellectual property of the team now known as the Tennessee Titans. As if to prove the point, the Titans have occasionally worn Columbia blue throwback uniforms at certain games.

UH is unbothered according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics Eddie Nuñez.

“As a university deeply connected to the fabric of Houston, incorporating ‘Houston Blue’ into our uniforms is a powerful way to celebrate the city’s rich history,” he said. “From iconic blue street markers to the Houston Police Department’s signature blue police cars and helicopters, this color holds a special place in the hearts of Houstonians. We’re thrilled to share this tradition with our fans and offer them the chance to show their pride through exclusive merchandise, making it an exciting time for Cougar Nation to rally together.”

The accompanying press release for the uniforms came with a helpful history lesson showing that the Oilers adopted a color widely associated with Houston, not the other way around. The city has incorporated blue into public infrastructure, from street curbs to city vehicles, since the 1920s. The Oilers weren’t even the first Houston team to use blue in their uniforms. That honor belongs to the minor league baseball team, the Houston Buffs. In addition, the university made minor changes to the uniform in response to the NFL's concerns.

UH will be offering a wide range of merchandise to sell in the new Houston Blue colors in person and online through the University of Houston Bookstore as well as at select local retailers. These include shirts, hats, polos, jerseys, and hoodies. Get them before the NFL sends a more strongly-worded letter.

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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.

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