Tank Dell predicts Texans will pull off a never-before-seen feat

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Tank Dell didn’t bother with the usual small steps. He went straight to the big one – a Super Bowl ring.

“You know, our number one goal is to be the first team to put a bull on the ring,” Dell said recently, laying out Houston’s ambitions for the upcoming season.

It’s not unusual for players to talk about titles this time of year. But hearing it from someone in Houston, a franchise without much history of playoff success, gives it a bit more weight.

Houston’s been part of the NFL since 2002 and has yet to make it to a Super Bowl, or even an AFC Championship Game. They’ve put together solid teams over the years, picked up division titles, and won games in January, but that last step has always eluded them.

Fresh off a 12-5 season and boasting the league’s top defence

Dell didn’t bother ticking off the usual milestones like the playoffs or a division title. He went straight to talking about putting a Texans logo on a Super Bowl ring.

That belief comes on the heels of a 12-5 campaign that ended with a road win in Pittsburgh before falling to New England in the Divisional Round. Houston’s defence finished second in points allowed, led by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who combined for 27 sacks off the edge.

C.J. Stroud remains the focal point of the offence, while DeMeco Ryans continues to build a strong culture. When asked about Super Bowl expectations, Anderson didn’t hesitate: “Most definitely,” he said, noting that Houston has “Super Bowl-caliber players all over the field.”

What Houston still hasn’t done

Dell’s words come after a tough stretch in his career. He missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from a knee injury, which he suffered in December 2024, resulting in three torn ligaments.

Many would be focused on just getting back onto the field, but Dell is aiming much higher, speaking about bringing something Houston has never had.

The Texans have yet to go past the Divisional Round, and the AFC remains a tough road. Players are confident, but that doesn’t change the fact that Houston still needs to prove it can make a deep run in January.

It’s a shift from where this team has spent most of its history. For years, the Texans were chasing others. Now, they’re openly talking about being good enough to finish on top.