Ryan Mallett recently lost out on the Houston Texans’ starting quarterback job to Brian Hoyer, but according to a report, he didn’t lose any sleep over it.
Mallett was absent from Texans practice Thursday because he overslept, the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain reported. The QB showed up later for team meetings and will be back at practice Friday, according to McClain.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien acknowledged Thursday that Mallett missed practice but didn’t give a reason for his absence, telling reporters, “It’s just a personal issue for him.”
Either way, it’s not the best look for the former New England Patriots backup, who admitted Tuesday he wasn’t too happy with O’Brien’s decision to pick Hoyer over him.
Mallett’s NFL career has been frustrating to date. The Patriots’ third-round draft pick in 2011, Mallett finally looked like he might get his shot in Houston after appearing in just four New England games in three seasons in Tom Brady’s shadow. Mallett got the chance to start two games last season but delivered mixed results, passing for just 400 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while going 1-1.
Hoyer, another former Patriots backup, is playing on his fourth team in five years but has experience as a starting quarterback with the Cleveland Browns, which appeared to give him a slight edge over Mallett in this year’s competition.
O’Brien said Monday he plans to play both Hoyer and Mallett, as well as third-stringer Tom Savage, in Sunday’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. However, it will be interesting to see if Mallett’s absence Thursday affects his snap count.
UPDATE (5:00 p.m. ET): It appears Mallett’s demotion to the third-string offense is only temporary.
The Texans quarterback practiced with the third team Friday after he reportedly overslept and missed practice the day before. But O’Brien said Mallett hasn’t lost his spot as the primary backup quarterback.
“(The) situation with Ryan not being at practice (Thursday), that’s between Ryan and I,” O’Brien told reporters, via ProFootballTalk. “There are a lot things that I will explain to you and I realize that you have a job to do, I really do. I said that in the very first meeting with you this year. I have a lot of respect for you and your profession and what you’re trying to do with information and all those things. I get it. But some things are left within the team, and this is one of them.
“I’m not going to take any more questions on (Thursday) as it regards to Ryan Mallett.”
Thumbnail photo via Amber Searls/USA TODAY Sports Images
