Sources: Clowney returns to roots, joins Texans

August 2, 2026 No Comments

Sources: Jadeveon Clowney reaches deal to reunite with TexansDJ Bien-AimeAug 2, 2026, 04:08 PM ETClose

DJ Bien-Aime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN. He joined ESPN in July of 2022 after covering the New York Jets for the New York Daily News. He’s a former athlete who finished his college career at Louisville. You can catch DJ on ESPN Radio on his show “Talkin’ Texans.”

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Jadeveon Clowney is returning to the Houston Texans, the team that selected him No. 1 in the 2014 NFL draft, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo on Sunday.

The reunion comes after Clowney, 33, had visited the Cleveland Browns last week, prompting general manager Andrew Berry to tell reporters he was hopeful his team could strike a deal with the pass rusher.

The Texans’ defense already boasted two of the top pass rushers in the NFL in Will Anderson Jr. (12) and Danielle Hunter (15), who combined for 27 sacks last season and earned All-Pro nods (Anderson first team and Hunter second team). Now Houston adds Clowney, who led the Dallas Cowboys with 8.5 sacks in 2025, including three in the season finale against the New York Giants.

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During Clowney’s five seasons with the Texans, he was a three-time Pro Bowler and earned a second-team All-Pro nod. In July 2019, the Texans placed the franchise tag on Clowney, and he eventually was traded to the Seattle Seahawks. In exchange for Clowney, the Texans received a 2020 third-round pick, pass rusher Barkevious Mingo and linebacker Jacob Martin.

Since Clowney’s Houston stint, he has played for the Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Cowboys. The Browns were the only team where Clowney played for multiple seasons (2021-22) beside the Texans.

Last season, he didn’t sign with the Cowboys until mid-September and was inactive for a game before getting on the field in Week 4. In his first five games with Dallas, he topped 40% playing time just once, but in each of his final eight games he played at least 42.9%, and his productivity increased. He missed one game with a hamstring injury.

In 13 games (six starts), Clowney was credited with 41 tackles, a team-high 12 tackles for loss, 33 pressures, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and four pass deflections.

He joined the Cowboys on a one-year, $3.5 million deal after the team struggled to replace Micah Parsons’ productivity in the wake of his trade to the Green Bay Packers. Clowney’s 8.5 sacks were one off his career high.

He has 66.5 sacks in his career.

ESPN’s Todd Archer contributed to this report.