To the surprise of many, Houston Texans safety Andre Hal has opted to retire from the NFL at the ripe age of 26 years old.
A former seventh-round draft pick, Hal was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the June of 2018 but thankfully announced he was in remission last September. Remarkably, he was able to return to football by Week 7 and ended up playing eight games, recording five defended passes and three interceptions, tied with rookie safety Justin Reid for the team-high.
The Ed Block Courage Award winner for 2018 retires having made 69 appearances for the Texans since 2014, with 12 interceptions and 31 defended passes to his name. His biggest legacy, however, will no doubt be his outstanding courage and determination while fighting through his illness to achieve a comeback few could have managed, at a level even fewer could have imagined.
With his retirement, this does open the door for the Texans to look more seriously into either trading for a safety, or more likely drafting in another this year. With Justin Reid slated to be a starter alongside Tashaun Gipson the Texans suddenly look very thin at the position with little depth behind them.
