Two Texans Stars Left Off NFL All-Pro Team

The Houston Texans, after a resilient 12-5 regular season now entering the playoffs with a chance to make a major run, were awarded with three All-Pro selections heading into Wild Card Weekend–– two First-Team nods in Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley, and a Second-Team nod in Danielle Hunter.

All three players were deserving of said recognition to credit them amongst the best NFL stars at their position through the past four months, and especially for the Texans' top-ranked defense, their unit was bound to get some due credit their way.

However, there's a case to be made that not one, but two Texans stars that were left out of the mix of either All-Pro team were snubbed out of that nod themselves: wide receiver Nico Collins and nickel Jalen Pitre––both of whom were at the top of their respective positions for this season, and have a strong case themselves to join their three Houston teammates.

Did Nico Collins and Jalen Pitre Get Snubbed?

Both Collins and Pitre were just shy of the required points of the 50 AP voters to land on Second-Team All-Pro.

Collins had 16 total points, which was seven away from the 23 logged by New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave, who got the last Second-Team selection to swing his way. Pitre, who was listed as a slot cornerback on AP voting, was a little further away from his competition––with Cooper DeJean totaling 86 points, and Derwin James securing 73 compared to Pitre's 29.

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) takes the field prior to a game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Pitre even had six first place votes to come his way over DeJean and James, but in reality, his standing might've fallen just short due to the time he missed in the middle of the season, which inevitably has a big impact on end-of-season awards.

Pitre missed three games with a concussion in the same timeframe as his quarterback, C.J. Stroud, did from Weeks 10 to 12, and in turn, gives guys like James and DeJean— who played at an elite level for 16 games— some added juice to their case for votes to be due their way.

Pitre also falls victim to his own versatility, as according to one of the 50 AP voters, Emmanuel Acho, his position was switched from safety to nickel corner before ballots were finalized, and as a result, may have had a few votes swing in the opposite direction.

"Clarity on Jalen Pitre not making all-pro.. The Texans wanted him designated as a nickel 😩😩😩 I, personally, voted him 1st team (or second) at safety. But then we got the email that he’s been re-listed to nickel. I couldn’t, in good faith, vote him over DeJean or Derwin"

Clarity on Jalen Pitre not making all-pro.

The Texans wanted him designated as a nickel 😩😩😩

I, personally, voted him 1st team (or second) at safety. But then we got the email that he’s been re-listed to nickel.

I couldn’t, in good faith, vote him over DeJean or Derwin https://t.co/qnR8hD3Kx1
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 10, 2026

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As for Collins, he fell into a similar hole as Pitre did to his opponents when it comes to his availability. The Texans wideout missed two games—one due to a concussion and another due to rest in Week 18—which took a hit to his raw stats compared to someone like Olave, who had 16 games under his belt to log 100 total receptions, along with outpacing Collins by 46 total receiving yards.

Both Pitre and Collins being off the All-Pro lists might be a subtle reminder that availability is always the best ability. Houston's three selections played every game of the season, were dominant throughout, and got rewarded for that consistency and their high-level production brought every single week.

Perhaps next season could be the time that Collins and Pitre secure the first All-Pro designations of their careers, but as for their 2025 campaign, they'll be left empty-handed.

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