Nico Collins will still have two years left on his current three-year, $75 million contract signed back in 2024, but just because the deal is ending doesn’t mean his time with the Houston Texans is coming to a close.
Collins, fresh off his third 1,000-yard campaign with the Texans, has made it clear that he’s happy in Houston and plans on sticking around for the long term. How long?
If it were up to him, Collins would retire wearing the Battle Red and Liberty White following a successful and long tenure with the AFC South franchise.
“I love the Texans,” Collins told KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson this past week. “I got drafted here. It’s somewhere I want to end. I love the city, the people, the community. There’s a lot of great positive vibes coming out of the city of Houston. So, it’s definitely a place I would like to retire.”
As the No. 1 weapon for C.J. Stroud, Collins has blossomed into one of the league’s top pass-catchers. After a slow start to his career, the Pro Bowler transformed the offensive aerial attack starting in 2023, serving as an x-factor toward Stroud winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Since Stroud’s arrival, the Texans have won at least 10 games each season and made the playoffs in three straight seasons. Over that span, the duo has combined for 209 catches for 3,420 yards and 21 touchdowns.
While Stroud took a step back in the postseason, including posting a four-interception performance against the New England Patriots in the divisional round, Collins has spent the offseason working alongside the Pro Bowl quarterback and sees a newfound version of him ready to take the field.
“Different guy, different dude, man on a mission,” Collins said. “Man, he’s ready to hunt.”
The hope is that with a second year in Nick Caley’s offense, plus a healthy season of Collins as the top target, Stroud should continue to grow into the star destined to take Houston to its first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
As for Collins’ potential departure, general manager Nick Caserio made sure to silence that rumor before the second stage of the offseason began.
“We’re not trading Nico Collins,” Caserio said last month. “Whoever reported it, whatever information they had, I mean, they can take it and shove it. We’re not trading Nico.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: A lifetime deal? WR Nico Collins ‘wants to retire’ as a Texan amid new deal
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
