The Houston Texans are less than 100 days away from kicking off the 2025 season in Los Angeles against the Rams at SoFi Stadium and we’re counting down the days until a victory ensues on the west coast.
Texans Wire will each day tell you which player has worn the number of the day leading up to kickoff and pick the player who ensured the number best during their time at NRG Stadium. As for today, let’s take a look at who has won No. 75 since the inaugural season in 2002.
Texans players to wear No. 75
No. 75 currently belongs to offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson, who signed a one-year deal this offseason to compete for a starting job on the offensive line. Throughout the early stages of OTAs and minicamp, Tomlinson seems to be settled in as the starting left guard over Juice Scruggs and Jarrett Patterson.
While Tomlinson fizzled out after his time in San Francisco, his relationship with DeMeco Ryans from their time in the Bay could be a reason to believe he’s in line for a promising season with new offesive line coach Cole Popovich. If he starts 17 games, that alone would qualify him as the best left guard in the Ryans’ era since five players have started a game there since 2023.
Since Tomlinson hasn’t taken a snap yet wearing the No. 75, he doesn’t qualify for the G.O.A.T., but given a small list of quality names, check back in this time next year if all goes according to plan. There are only two names that probably would check off enough boxes to fit the criteria.
- OT Laken Tomlinson (Present)
- OT Austin Deculus (2024)
- DL Ron’Dell Carter (2021)
- OL Elijah Nkansah (2019)
- OT Marinas Rankin (2018)
- DL Vince Wilfork (2015-2016)
- OT Derek Newton (2011-2014)
- OT Brando Frye (2007)
- DL Travis Johnson (2005)
- OT Jimmy Herndon (2002-2003)
Best Player: Vince Wilfork
When you take over the internet for your overall, no-shirt, no socks, big boots look, you win the title of G.O.A.T. Wilfolk won’t ever be considered a Texans‘ legend for his two seasons of on-field play after a Hall of Fame career with the New England Patriots, but Wilfork always be distinguished as the guy who became an icon on “Hard Knocks” during the 2015 season.
Helping the Texans win back-to-back AFC South titles under Bill O’Brien, Wilfork, who signed a two-year contract, started all 16 games in 2015 at nose tackle and recorded 22 tackles. The following year, he recorded 21 stops and three sacks.
Big Thunder won’t be forgotten down at NRG Stadium for years to come.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: 75 days until the Texans’ 2025 season opener: Who has worn No.75?