Amid Major Off-Season Trades and Signings, Texans' Cal McNair has Embraced Lofty Expectations

After making several significant off-season moves, Cal McNair has embraced the lofty expectations of the Houston Texans.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans will enter the 2024 season with high expectations, and their off-season acquisitions showcased that the franchise has embraced it.

Headlined by general manager and coach DeMeco Ryans, they enhanced the defensive line with a pair of prominent pass-rushers Denico Autry and Danielle Hunter, who recorded a combined 28.0 sacks last season. However, their most significant roster change of the off-season was landing All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Buffalo Bills.

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans chair and ceo Cal McNair gives a thumbs up before a

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Cal and Hannah McNair recently spoke with Randy McIlvoy of KPRC, where the new principal owners openly embraced the team's ambitions for next season.

"We embrace the expectations," McNair said. "It's where we want to be. At the same time, it's about building the team and the team being coached and working hard. It's the day-to-day things that are going to get us where we want to get to. But we've got to stay focused and work hard every day to bring about where we want to go."

The Texans have catapulted into championship contention after a successful 2023 season. They finished the year with 10 wins in the regular season and advanced to the Divisional Round of the Playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Houston was able to rise out of football purgatory due to the arrival of then-rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. Both players set a tone on their respective side of the ball and a standard that could lead to the Texans making their first Super Bowl appearance next February in New Orleans.

"It takes tremendous focus, tremendous will to win," Stroud said in January. "Whoever stays, we’re keeping that standard. We’re not changing that for anybody. I think that is why we are confident. It’s okay to be confident. I don’t look at that as a negative thing. It’s not cockiness, it’s being confident."