Phillip Lindsay is no different than most of his teammates on the Houston Texans: he has something to prove in 2021.
The two-time Pro Bowl running back is on his second NFL team to start his fourth season in the league. The undrafted free agent from Colorado appeared to have it made with the Denver Broncos until 2020 derailed his progress with injuries.
“I have a big chip on my shoulder,” Lindsay said after day two of training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. “I definitely did. For me, I feel like I’m always being disrespected, you know. And for me, I’m going to go out there and I’m going to show it. In my head, I’m the baddest dude there is, period.”
For Lindsay, his declaration that he is the “baddest dude there is” isn’t a statement of exclusion; he believes fellow running backs Mark Ingram, David Johnson, Rex Burkhead, Scottie Phillips, Dontrell Hilliard, and Buddy Howell are bad dudes, too. Lindsay’s bad dude mindset is more about the team than it is his own redemption story.
“It’s not just about me,” said Lindsay. “It’s about our team. And that’s all I care about. So as long as we’re winning games and stuff like that, things will come. Accolades will come as time goes on, but it’s about team. It’s about winning.”
The Texans have an uphill climb when it comes to winning with the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts reloading while the Jacksonville Jaguars are successfully rebuilding. The former 4-12 club from a season ago is a favorite among pundits to round out the power rankings and also to finish with a top-3 pick in the 2022 NFL draft. However, it may take a whole bag of chips on the shoulder of Lindsay and his teammates across the roster to get the team ready to compete under first-year coach David Culley.
