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| Houston Texans DE Dylan Horton |
The last time Houston Texans fans saw defensive end Dylan Horton was in Week 11 at NRG Stadium, when he helped lead the team to a 21-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. During that mid-November game, Horton recorded three tackles and was part of a relentless defensive group that stifled Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
“It’s a great feeling,” Horton said exclusively to Big Sarge Media about the Texans locker room culture. “You feel the energy coming to practice, coming to the facility, coming to the games, and everybody is excited. We have to keep going.”
Four days later, he was placed on the Texans Reserve/Non-Football Illness list and was unavailable for the remainder of regular and postseason games. Horton would later issue a statement through the team that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and that he was receiving treatment.
“Through God’s grace, I’m blessed to say that I’m currently in remission,” Horton said. “I am grateful for the love from my family and friends and support from the Texans organization and my doctors. My next objective is to complete my treatments, then get back to playing the game that I love. Thank you for your prayers and support as I continue this journey.”
Six months after receiving the diagnosis, Horton announced via his Instagram page with a video that he had taken his final treatment by ringing the bell (a gesture made by patients once they complete their chemotherapy or radiation cycles) as nurses and doctors in the background cheered him on.
“Glory to God, final treatment,” Horton captioned on the video.
Horton, 23, was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft out of TCU by Houston. He played in 10 games in his rookie season, recording 13 tackles as he got acclimated to being a rotational player used by defensive coordinator Matt Burke and head coach DeMeco Ryans.
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| Horton Rings Bell To Complete His Final Treatment |
On Tuesday, Horton appeared before team meetings and spoke briefly about his journey, which drew applause from his teammates and coaches, who had been praying for his safe and speedy recovery.
“What a special moment for Dylan,” Ryans responded when asked about Horton’s viral video of him ringing the bell. “For me to see him ring the bell- it brings a tear to your eye just to know a young man whose career is ahead of him- he is just going along playing football, and at the drop of a dime, that changes.
“That is for all of us, life changes in an instant, at a moment, but it is about how you respond, and Dylan has responded tremendously. His attitude has been off the charts throughout this entire process, and I think a lot of us have a lot to learn from Dylan Horton.”
Although he could not complete his rookie season, Horton’s impact on the team through his work ethic on the field, attentiveness in meetings, and locker-room etiquette earned him a lot of respect from the team’s veterans.
“It is great seeing him back in there,” tight end Dalton Shultz said about Horton’s return. “He was a young guy last year, but it felt like we lost a part of that (rookie) class. Him being back around is great. It is great for morale. Guys love him, and I am happy he is back in the building.”