In the 2018 offseason general manager Brian Gaine made a splash with signing former Arizona Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, who played exclusively at safety for the Houston Texans.
Fast forward to the start of 2019 free agency and the Texans lost Mathieu to the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston inks Tashaun Gipson to a three-year contract, the type of deal with the longevity Mathieu was looking for.
As the former Cleveland Brown and Jacksonville Jaguar begins a new chapter with Houston, he doesn’t want to draw comparisons to the previous starter.
“I’m big on everybody is different,” said Gipson. “The biggest thing is I’ve had to answer this question multiple times throughout this process. What he brought to the table, I respect his game. I truly do.”
Gipson wasn’t around for what Mathieu did in the Texans’ locker room. The former 2014 Pro Bowler can only be himself as he integrates with a new team.
“I don’t know what he did as a person in the locker room,” explained Gipson. “Obviously, I wasn’t here, but everybody has high things to say about the guy, so it’s tough for me to come in here and say, ‘Man, he showed me the blueprint. This is what I want to do.’ I’m a different guy.”
The former Wyoming standout just wants to be Tashaun Gibson and not Tyrann Mathieu. Gibson has the tools to succeed as a Texan, and being in the AFC South for the past three season he should familiar with the offenses he has faced in the past.
