Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson doesn’t seem too concerned about changing his playing style despite the concerning number of hits he keeps racking up. However, his head coach Bill O’Brien sounds like he does.

O’Brien says the team wants to see a reduction on the number of plays which see their young quarterback getting knocked around during games.

“He’s a great competitor,” O’Brien said, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “He’s trying to help his team win. Obviously, those are plays we want to cut down on. That’s not a sustainable way to play.”

Article Continues Below
Related News
Houston Texans former defensive end J.J. Watt in attendance as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Tennessee Titans.
NFL legend JJ Watt throws down epic dunk during Pat McAfee visitJosh Davis ·
image thumbnail
Texans’ riskiest move in 2025 NFL offseasonDouglas Fritz ·
Iowa State wideout and Houston Texans 2025 NFL Draft pick Jayden Higgins (WO18) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
NFL rumors: Texans, Browns the reason 2025 NFL Draft second-round picks aren’t signingTim Crean ·
Nick Chubb in the middle, Bears, Texans, Steelers logos in the background, Cloudy skies in the background
Ranking best Nick Chubb fits late in 2025 NFL free agencyEnzo Flojo ·
image thumbnail
Houston Texans 2 best trade targets to round out 2025 rosterEnzo Flojo ·
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud attends game six of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs between the Denver Nuggets and the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome.
Texans rumors: Mike Florio makes C.J. Stroud prediction after Brock Purdy contractBen Strauss ·

After seeing the Texans without Watson after he went down with a knee injury last season, it’s clear why O’Brien would like to prevent his star QB from taking a beating. A good chunk of the team’s success rests on his health, and they must do what’s necessary to keep him healthy.

But while O’Brien can alter his playcalling to help limit the hits Watson takes, he can only do so much. It’s also on the Texans’ O-line and Watson himself to protect himself better. His decision-making in terms of when to get rid of the ball and when to scramble needs to change in order for this plan to succeed.

As much as Watson wants to help his team win games, he needs to see the long-term picture, which is that he has to stay healthy for Houston to succeed. That means making some tweaks in his game to avoid getting hit so much and potentially getting hurt once again.