Justin Britt couldn't resist the urge to sport his custom fit wardrobe he had picked out for the Texans' game against the Los Angeles Chargers, even though he was in quarantine at the time.
The Texans' gritty veteran center posted a video of him walking out the door for a moment wearing his sharp threads on Instagram before returning inside in disappointment.
Now, Britt is activated from the COVID-19 reserve list and is set to make his return Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
“I felt pretty good this week," Britt said. "The first day getting my lungs back was a little gruesome, but I feel fine, fresh, ready to go. I did not have a lot of fun in quarantine and having to stay home.
"That outfit was custom, so I had to wear it. If I didn’t wear it at home, I was going to wear it to this game and it just didn’t feel right wearing it this game. Just went ahead and worse it and we will draw something up for this weekend.”
The Texans managed to pull off a 41-29 upset over the Chargers, rushing for a season-high 189 yards, including a career-high 149 rushing yards with two touchdown runs from veteran running back Rex Burkhead, behind a revamped offensive line due to COVID-19. The Texans started Geron Christian at left tackle, Cole Toner at left guard, rookie Jimmy Morrissey at center, Max Scharping at right guard and Charlie Heck at right tackle. That's because Britt, left tackle Tytus Howard, left guard Lane Taylor and right guard Justin McCray were sidelined. Howard remains on the COVID-19 list.
"I feel like Jimmy and Cole and Max and everyone who stepped in did a wonderful job and played a very physical game and kind of made a name for themselves.," Britt said. "I was sitting in here with Justin Reid talking about how at the beginning of the year a bunch of guys got a lot of valuable reps who haven’t played a lot of football and last week was another scenario like that where Cole, who hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time this year, got a chance to get in there and do his thing and play football.
"Jimmy, who has kind of commanded the thing whenever I’ve been out, got in there and did another exceptional job. It was fun to see Rex stay hot and get loose. The guys up front last week did a tremendous job and were super physical, so the bar is set high for us coming back and we look to kind of picking up where they left off.”
The Texans-Chargers game wasn't postponed, which followed NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy reiterating that there were "no discussions" about moving the game after shifting three games the previous week.
“I don’t want to get deep into that because that’s kind of above my pay grade,” Britt said. "As much as I would’ve loved to play in this last game — and for them to postpone it for me to get a chance to I feel like everyone who stepped in did a wonderful job and played a very physical game.”
The Texans' offensive line faces a difficult assignment: blocking 49ers Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa.
“I think they are very talented," Britt said. "I’m used to playing them twice a year, so they continue to somehow get these players that play super hard and are technically sound and they are coached really well. It’s going to be a very physical game. '
"This defense that we are going to be might be the best defense that I’ve seen on film this year as far as finishing a play. They keep going through the whistle. We got to be ready. We have to be sharp and the good thing about us up front in this group is we love to work, we love to finish and so, it will be a fun matchup for sure.”
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