Texans add support for prep squad, community

The Houston Texans will host the Uvalde High School football team and wear “Uvalde Strong” decals on their helmets when they open the season Sept. 11 against Indianapolis.

A Texans contingent, including coach Lovie Smith and linebackers Christian Kirksey and Kamu Grugier-hill, visited Uvalde on Thursday and surprised the team with new uniforms provided by Nike during a team dinner.

“It was just special to see the smiles on their faces because we know this city was impacted drastically,” Kirksey said. “Being a leader and not just being a football player but being somebody that can be an extra shoulder to lean on, it definitely warmed something in my heart. … We’re just going to be here with the city and let them know that we support them in every way and we’re going to be here for them.”

This is part of the Texans’ continuing support for the community. They donated $400,000 to the Robb Elementary School memorial fund after 19 children and two teachers were killed in a shooting there in May.

During the visit, the Texans also announced they were joining with grocery store chain H-E-B to pay for the high school team to travel to the opener and take in the NFL game from a suite.

Kirksey and Grugier-hill showed the team the decal on a Texans helmet during an interview on ABC’S “Good Morning America.”

“You guys will be with us, and we’ll be with you,” Grugier-hill told them while holding the helmet. “Words can’t even describe or help anything you’ve been through, so we can only try to empathize (with) you guys and be there for you guys.”

The visit continued Friday when team owners Cal and Hannah Mcnair joined members of the organization in town and the team hosted football camps and clinics for hundreds of children before attending Uvalde’s home opener, in which it beat C.C. Winn High 34-28 by scoring a touchdown with 12 seconds left.

■ Buccaneers: Wide receiver Russell Gage (hamstring) is “on track to play” in the opener, coach Todd Bowles said. The 26-year-old Louisiana State product practiced on backto-back days Thursday and Friday for the first time since getting injured in a joint practice with Miami on Aug. 11. Gage, who didn’t play in the preseason, signed with Tampa Bay in March after spending his first four NFL seasons Atlanta, totaling 193 catches for 2,065 yards and nine TDS.

■ Patriots: The team converted $7.9 million of tight end Jonnu Smith’s base salary into a signing bonus, clearing $5.3 million in cap space. The 27-year-old is in the second season of a four-year, $50 million deal he signed as a free agent last offseason after spending his first four NFL seasons with Tennessee. Smith had 28 catches for 294 yards and a TD over 16 games in 2021.

■ Rams: Three-time All-pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey (shoulder) is “going to be ready” for the opener, coach Sean Mcvay said. The 27-year-old, who had career highs of 77 tackles and four interceptions in 2021, avoided the physically unable to perform list during camp but was limited to individual drills for most of the preseason.

■ Cowboys: The team is in “ongoing talks” about signing free-agent left offensive tackle Jason Peters, NFL Network reported. The 40-year-old nine-time Pro Bowl selection visited the team last week and passed a physical. He started 15 games last season, his first with Chicago after 11 with Philadelphia and five with Buffalo.