Texans aiming to host season opener despite Hurricane Harvey
Amid one of the most horrific natural disasters in recent American history, the Houston Texans' resolve will not be broken.
Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said his team plans to host its regular-season opener on Sept. 10 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars as scheduled, despite Hurricane Harvey wreaking havoc on the area.
"If our stadium's ready to go, it's important to have that game at home," O'Brien told John McClain of the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday. "Maybe it gives our fans a chance, for three hours at least, to cheer and kind of forget about the trials and tribulations of what would be the last two weeks.
"I think we have the best fans, anyway, so just imagine what NRG Stadium will be like for that first home game. Football's big in Texas, anyway, but when you put it in Houston and take into consideration such a catastrophic event, football becomes even bigger. It gives our fans a chance to cheer and let off some steam."
Related: Proceeds from Texans-Cowboys to be donated to Hurricane Harvey relief
The Texans have been resilient in trying to organize relief efforts for the inhabitants of Houston. J.J. Watt has raised over $4 million to be donated to the victims of the hurricane, while Texans owner Bob McNair pledged $1 million on behalf of the organization.
"It's incredible. There really aren't a lot of words on what he has done ... We are lucky to have him," O'Brien said of Watt.
The Texans moved their final preseason game to Arlington, Texas due to the effects of the storm.