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Former Texans CB Johnathan Joseph retires


notthatbluestuff

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A pillar for a team that doesn't have many. JJoe is probably a top 3-5 Texan All Time (behind guys like Watt and Andre Johnson, but on par with Arian Foster or Demeco Ryans).

He declined hard as he got older, but his prime was fun to watch. He was a smart CB, had great anticipation on routes and read the QB well to break up or pick off passes. He was also a very forceful hitter, breaking up passes with a well timed hit. He was also a well respected team captain, his mentorship brought out the best in Kareem Jackson and AJ Bouye when both were in Houston.

The talk that off-season in 2011 was that the Texans would draft a CB (Prince Amukamara) or sign the top CB FA on the market - Nnamdi Asomugha. Texans got Joseph which was a much better investment than either of those two.

Glad to see him retire - probably a Ring of Honor player soon.

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11 minutes ago, ET80 said:

A pillar for a team that doesn't have many. JJoe is probably a top 3-5 Texan All Time (behind guys like Watt and Andre Johnson, but on par with Arian Foster or Demeco Ryans).

He declined hard as he got older, but his prime was fun to watch. He was a smart CB, had great anticipation on routes and read the QB well to break up or pick off passes. He was also a very forceful hitter, breaking up passes with a well timed hit. He was also a well respected team captain, his mentorship brought out the best in Kareem Jackson and AJ Bouye when both were in Houston.

The talk that off-season in 2011 was that the Texans would draft a CB (Prince Amukamara) or sign the top CB FA on the market - Nnamdi Asomugha. Texans got Joseph which was a much better investment than either of those two.

Glad to see him retire - probably a Ring of Honor player soon.

he was a new member of that inaugural Wade Phillips defense that got the texans to go from historically bad to one of the better units in the league

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5 minutes ago, Turnobili said:

he was a new member of that inaugural Wade Phillips defense that got the texans to go from historically bad to one of the better units in the league

Yup - Joseph, S Danieal Manning, rookie OLB Brooks Reed, rookie DE JJ Watt joined a defense that was going to start lining up guys to their strengths (Brian Cushing to ILB in a 34, Connor Barwin at OLB instead of DE). 

Texans defense went from 32nd to 3rd that season. Had Matt Schaub not broke his foot v Tampa Bay, that Texans team was rounding out to be a contender in the AFC. Heck, even with rookie TJ Yates, that Texans team managed to beat Cincinnati in the first round of the playoffs and earn it's first playoff win ever.

Man, those were some good times.

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7 hours ago, ET80 said:

A pillar for a team that doesn't have many. JJoe is probably a top 3-5 Texan All Time (behind guys like Watt and Andre Johnson, but on par with Arian Foster or Demeco Ryans).

He declined hard as he got older, but his prime was fun to watch. He was a smart CB, had great anticipation on routes and read the QB well to break up or pick off passes. He was also a very forceful hitter, breaking up passes with a well timed hit. He was also a well respected team captain, his mentorship brought out the best in Kareem Jackson and AJ Bouye when both were in Houston.

The talk that off-season in 2011 was that the Texans would draft a CB (Prince Amukamara) or sign the top CB FA on the market - Nnamdi Asomugha. Texans got Joseph which was a much better investment than either of those two.

Glad to see him retire - probably a Ring of Honor player soon.

that's pretty sad lol

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9 hours ago, Kiwibrown said:

Any corner that plays 15 years is an amazing player. 

This is what I came in here to say.

I am sure people will (understandably) point towards declining performance in the latter years, but the fact he was playing CB in the NFL at age 36 is a testament to his dedication to his physique (and his talent, of course).

He must be in a very small group of people who have played 15 years as an NFL CB.

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1 hour ago, lomaxgrUK said:

This is what I came in here to say.

I am sure people will (understandably) point towards declining performance in the latter years, but the fact he was playing CB in the NFL at age 36 is a testament to his dedication to his physique (and his talent, of course).

He must be in a very small group of people who have played 15 years as an NFL CB.

People drafted after him would have had all pros and retured before they wanted too. 

No small feat at all.

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3 hours ago, lomaxgrUK said:

This is what I came in here to say.

I am sure people will (understandably) point towards declining performance in the latter years, but the fact he was playing CB in the NFL at age 36 is a testament to his dedication to his physique (and his talent, of course).

He must be in a very small group of people who have played 15 years as an NFL CB.

His intelligence/football IQ was a HUGE part of his longevity. Big named coordinators such as Wade Phillips, Romeo Crennel and Mike Vrabel have gushed about Joseph's knowledge of the game, film study habits, prep on the practice field and - this is a big one - ability to adapt and change strategy mid-game. 

Joseph would provide feedback post-drive and quickly reposition other DBs in between drives to compensate for new wrinkles offenses put out, quickly stopping any sort of bleeding the other team caught in film study.

It was a game of chess for Joseph, and he was Bobby Fischer level good. He's going to make an excellent coach one day - I'd seriously keep an eye out for him as a potential HC in 5-7 years.

(Maybe he could be the HC once Cal sells the team in 2025? Please?)

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