HOUSTON – One year after being snubbed, Texans star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. parlayed a healthy breakthrough season headlined by his dominant performance against Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill to be named to his first Pro Bowl.
Now, Stingley has achieved All-Pro status for the first time on the prestigious Associated Press All-Pro squad voted on exclusively by a panel of broadcasters and former NFL players.
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Stingley has 10 interceptions over the past two seasons, combined, with five picks each year.
Stingley had 18 passes defensed, second-most in the League. According to NextGenStats, Stingley allowed the lowest passer rating (56.9) and lowest completion percentage (46.7%) among cornerbacks who played at least 400 coverage snaps this season.
He is the first Texans cornerback in franchise history to earn All-Pro status. He is the second defensive player in team history to be named All-Pro, joining three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year selection J.J. Watt.
'All-Pro Sting' #Texans corner Derek Stingley Jr., on playoff matchup against #Chargers @KPRC2 https://t.co/24BFACMiGC
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 10, 2025
'All-Pro Sting' @stingjr @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/FZpvAedIze
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 10, 2025
Stingley was joined on the All-Pro squad by Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain.
Stingley was joined by wide receiver Nico Collins, another first-time selection, along with left tackle Laremy Tunsil and running back Joe Mixon in the Pro Bowl.
Other Texans players who didn’t make All-Pro, but received votes: Tunsil (five votes, one first place vote, four second-team All-Pro votes) Danielle Hunter (12 second place votes) Will Anderson Jr. (one second-place vote).
A former third overall pick and consensus All-American from LSU, Stingley is a lockdown corner with elite cover skills, hands, instincts and body control. He had two interceptions against the Dolphins in one-on-one coverage on Hill, taking the football away from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to put the game away in December and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
After that game, teammates in the locker room kept calling Stingley “All-Pro Sting.” And now he’s Pro Bowl Sting.
“Obviously, when you earn recognition in the league from fans, peers, coaches, it’s an honor,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. “And I think we’ve all seen the growth that Sting’s gone through in kind of the last couple years. And so to see that growth sort of translate to other people seeing the work he’s put in, I mean, we see it every day and see sort of the transition he’s made into that type of player that he’s become and so I think it’s always cool to see that when outside people kind of witness the same thing and recognize the work he’s put in to get where he is today.”
Unlike last year when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury, Stingley started every game and has a career-high 54 tackles, four tackles for losses, 18 passes defensed and tied his career-high with five interceptions for the second year in a row for the AFC South champions.
He allowed just 40 catches on 85 targets, a 45.1 completion percentage, for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Opposing quarterbacks had a 51.2 passer rating against him and just 249 air yards and 133 yards after the catch.
“Yeah, Stingley has played good ball for us,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s made a lot of plays, taking the ball away. I think people have recognized what he’s able to do around the league. I think he has the respect of his peers, coaches around the league. They see the growth. They see how he’s stepped up and took on some tough challenges throughout the year.
‘So, he deserves whatever credit that he’s getting. I think it matters most when it’s coming from your peers and coaches around the league. People who are constantly watching film, diving in and they know how they truly know how guys are playing and how they are helping their teams and I think Stingley has earned that respect around the league.”
Stingley is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and is certainly deserving of a blockbuster payday, which the Texans are more than amenable to negotiating at the right time.
“He is probably the best athlete I have been around in my life,” Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “Ball skills, speed, strength, size and just someone who I have seen grow as a player. I am just very happy for him, especially having this type of year before I think he can renegotiate. I know he is about to get a bag and I am happy for him, he deserves it. That is not his motivation, which is dope, it is just being elite at football, and I think he is going to be great in this league for a long time.”
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Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
