Patriots Have Meaningful Ties With Texans' Derek Stingley

As Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr. prepares for his team’s Divisional Round showdown with the New England Patriots, he cannot help but be reminded of the part the Foxborough franchise has played in his family’s history.

Though his staunch loyalty deservedly resides in Houston — with whom he has spent the past four-plus seasons — Stingley Jr. will always have a little bit of ‘New England Patriots’ in his heart.

Stingley Jr’s grandfather, Darryl, was a wide receiver who played five seasons with Patriots from 1973-1977. He was selected nineteenth overall in the 1973 NFL Draft — the third player taken by the Patriots in the first round, along with offensive lineman John Hannah of Alabama and fullback Sam Cunningham of Southern California. New England’s ‘73 Draft class has been heralded as one of the best in team history.

While Darryl Stingley‘s pro football legacy should have been largely defined by his prowess on the field, it also became one of unfortunate tragedy. As he was preparing for the 1978 season, his sixth in the NFL, Stingley suffered a brutal injury in a preseason contest against the Oakland Raiders. While running a slant pattern, the Pats receiver left his feet and extended his arms while he took a vicious, yet legal hit from safety Jack Tatum.

Stingley was immediately hospitalized and remained in critical care for quite some time. John Madden, who was the Raiders’ head coach at the time, spent significant time with Stingley as he struggled through his injury. As a result, the two became close friends, with Stingley often referring to Madden as a ‘hero’ to him.

Sadly, Stingley remained a quadriplegic until his death in 2007 — when his grandson [Derek Stingley Jr.] was just five years old. Though he neither ignores nor hides from the tragic end to his grandfather’s career, Stingley Jr. was never discouraged from pursuing his own future by playing the game he loves.

“I don’t think my family is worried about me having an injury like my grandpa,” said Derek Jr., in a 2018 interview with Jim Kleinpeter of The Advocate. “You can’t play scared. I don’t think about it at all when I’m playing. I do think about my last name and [trying to] bring praise to the family.”

Stingley Incorporates Patriots History into Forging His Own Legacy

Oct 13, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) tackles New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Nearly 48 years since his grandfather’s career reached its tragic end, Stingley Jr. is widely considered to be among the top cornerbacks in the NFL. Following a standout collegiate career at LSU — one which was highlighted by a 2019 National Championship — he was drafted by the Texans with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. During his brief, yet highly-productive pro football tenure, he has compiled 172 total tackles, 51 passes-defensed, 15 interceptions and one forced fumble. His on-field production has earned him two first-team All Pro selections, as well as a pair of Pro Bowl nods.

He has tremendous speed and solid lateral movement, which make him a nightmarish matchup for receivers. Stingley Jr. routinely matches his targets both step-for-step, and in-and-out of breaks. He also possesses great instinct for making plays on passes thrown in his direction.

As a result, Stingley Jr. is expected to cover New England’s top pass catchers — either Stefon Diggs or Kayshon Boutte — during this upcoming playoff matchup. He will also provide quite the formidable opposition to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye — who coincidentally completed his first NFl touchdown pass over Stingley in coverage to Boutte during the teams’ October 2024 matchup — a game won by the Texans by a final score of 41-21.

Yet, in addition to his on-field prowess, Stingley Jr. seems destined for career-long success by displaying a maturity and humility beyond his years. He not only follows the example of his grandfather, but also his father [Derek Sr.], who was a veteran of both semi-pro, and the Arena Football League, where he also served as a coach.

The three gridiron generations of Stingleys have always been family men — a tradition he hoped to continue with his fiancée Annabella Campagna, with whom he expects to welcome a baby boy sometime in April 2026.

Though he has some memories of his grandfather, Stingley Jr. remains keenly aware of his family’s legacy each time he steps on a football field.

“I don’t remember that much,” Stingley Jr. told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser in 2020. “We would go up there for Christmas. And he would always give me a Darth Vader mask and cape and he would do [imitate] the voice thing. That’s pretty much all I remember.

And … my dad said that he saw something in me back then, but I don’t remember,” Stingley Jr. added.

What the elder Stingley likely saw in his grandson was the competitive spirit and poise required to be a first-round draft selection in the NFL. After all, he himself was one. In fact, because of his grandfather, Stingley Jr. has revealed himself as being a New England Patriots fan in his formative years.

Therefore, as he steps onto the field for this weekend’s Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium, the Texans star cornerback will certainly be thinking of his grandfather and the experience he had with the Patriots nearly a half-century ago.

“I’m just continuing on the Stingley name,” he said. “And every time I go on the field, I always think about him. And I think about my dad and all of my family.”

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