Statement from the Houston Texans:
“Johnathan has been a consummate professional, team captain and one of the leaders of our defense for the past nine years. It is rare for a player to sustain such a high level of play for over a decade and that says so much about him and his dedication to the game. He is an exceptional teammate, mentor, husband and father. His impact on and off the field makes him quite possibly the most celebrated free agent signing in franchise history. The entire Houston Texans organization thanks Johnathan for the contributions he made to our team and the Houston community. We wish him and his family all the best as he pursues free agency.”
Joseph is the franchise’s all-time leader in interceptions (17), passes defensed (118), interception return yards (410) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (four) while ranking tied for third in games played (133) and fifth in total tackles (482). He also ranks sixth in career passes defensed (194) in NFL history and owns the most games with multiple passes defensed (50). Joseph was originally signed by the Texans in 2011 after spending five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (2006-10).