Back in March, the Houston Texans made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when they signed star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to a three-year, $90 million contract extension.

The deal made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history and cemented his status as a franchise cornerstone for Houston’s defense. The team’s official X, formerly Twitter, account reacted to the news with humor and excitement, celebrating the extension that keeps Stingley in Houston through the prime of his career.

After battling injuries in his first two seasons, Stingley had a breakout 2024 campaign, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He recorded 54 tackles, five interceptions, and 18 passes defended while holding opposing quarterbacks to just a 51.2 passer rating when targeted.

That elite production made it an easy decision for Houston’s front office to lock him in long-term as the leader of their secondary.

However, Stingley made headlines for an entirely different reason following the Texans’ 27-19 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the league fined the Pro Bowl cornerback $11,593 for a facemask penalty that led to a brief sideline altercation.

“The NFL fined #Texans CB Derek Stingley $11,593 for a facemask, touching off a ruckus on the sideline Monday night in Seattle. No other fines were issued,” Pelissero reported.

Article Continues Below

The incident occurred late in the game when Stingley grabbed a Seahawks player by the facemask during a tackle and appeared to yank off his helmet. The opposing player quickly retaliated with a shove, sparking a small scuffle before teammates and referees separated the two sides. While tempers flared, no punches were thrown, and the situation de-escalated quickly.

This marks the first fine of the season for Stingley, who has built a reputation for physical but clean play. The penalty was a rare blemish for a defender known for his technical precision and disciplined coverage. Houston’s coaching staff is expected to address the matter internally but remains confident in Stingley’s leadership on and off the field.

Meanwhile, the Texans received more bad news heading into Week 8. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that wide receivers Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) have both been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Collins exited the Week 7 matchup early after a hard hit, while Kirk has been battling a lingering hamstring issue. Their absences will test quarterback CJ Stroud and the Texans’ depth at receiver as they look to avoid a 2-5 start.