NFL players from Houston
104 NFL players came out of Houston. Here they all are, ranked the way The Chains ranks them, most recognizable first.
104
Players
5
Easy to name
Unicorn
Best link
More Houston players suited up for the Miami Dolphins than any other franchise (14).
How this plays in The Chains
A shared college is a link, just like a shared team, and every link is scored by how unlikely it was that a fan would name it. Connect two players through Adrian McDonald and the Houston link is rated Unicorn (+600 bonus points). Some daily puzzles even require a Houston alum in your chain.
Play today's puzzleEasy to name
Common and Uncommon. The easiest answers from this school.
- Uncommon
Ed Oliver
DL · 2019–2026 · BUF
- Uncommon
Antowain Smith
RB · 1997–2005 · BUF, NE, NO, TEN
- Uncommon
Matthew Golden
WR · 2025–2026 · GB
- Uncommon
Tank Dell
WR · 2023–2024 · HOU
- Uncommon
D.J. Hayden
CB · 2013–2021 · DET, JAX, RAI, WAS
In the middle
Real answers, but not the first ones people think of.
- Rare
Tyus Bowser
LB · 2017–2024 · BAL, MIA, SEA
- Rare
Donnie Avery
WR · 2008–2014 · IND, KC, RAM, TEN
- Rare
Stanford Routt
CB · 2005–2012 · HOU, KC, RAI
- Rare
Elandon Roberts
LB · 2016–2025 · MIA, NE, PIT, RAI
- Rare
Marcus Jones
DB · 2022–2026 · NE
- Rare
Lamar Smith
RB · 1994–2003 · CAR, MIA, NO, SEA
- Rare
Kevin Kolb
QB · 2007–2012 · ARI, PHI
- Rare
Case Keenum
QB · 2013–2026 · BUF, CHI, CLE, DEN, HOU, MIN +2
- Rare
Andre Ware
QB · 1990–1993 · DET
- Rare
Logan Hall
DL · 2022–2026 · HOU, TB
- Rare
Payton Turner
DL · 2021–2024 · NO
- Rare
David Klingler
QB · 1992–1997 · CIN, RAI
- Rare
Glenn Cadrez
LB · 1992–2002 · DEN, KC, NYJ
- Rare
Lamar Lathon
LB · 1990–1998 · CAR, TEN
- Rare
Jamaree Caldwell
DL · 2025–2026 · LAC
- Rare
Patrick Paul
OL · 2024–2026 · MIA
- Rare
Tanner Koziol
TE · 2026 · JAX
- Rare
Allen Aldridge
LB · 1994–2001 · DEN, DET
- Rare
Charles Sims
RB · 2014–2017 · TB
- Rare
Kyle Allen
QB · 2018–2026 · BUF, CAR, DET, HOU, PIT, WAS
- Rare
Sherman Smith
WR · 1994 · TEN
- Rare
Greg Ward
WR · 2019–2021 · PHI
- Rare
Clayton Tune
QB · 2023–2025 · ARI, GB
- Rare
Simon Fletcher
LB · 1990–1995 · DEN
- Rare
William Jackson
DB · 2017–2022 · CIN, WAS
- Rare
Jackie Battle
RB · 2007–2014 · KC, LAC, TEN
- Rare
Sebastian Vollmer
T · 2009–2015 · NE
- Rare
Eugene Lockhart
LB · 1990–1992 · DAL, NE
- Rare
Josh Jones
OL · 2020–2026 · ARI, BAL, HOU, SEA
- Rare
Alton Montgomery
DB · 1990–1995 · ATL, DEN
- Rare
Grant Stuard
LB · 2021–2026 · DET, IND, RAM, TB
- Rare
Craig Veasey
DL · 1990–1995 · MIA, NE, PIT, TEN
- Rare
Matthew Adams
LB · 2018–2024 · CHI, CLE, IND, NYG
- Rare
Glenn Montgomery
DL · 1990–1996 · SEA, TEN
- Rare
Alfred Oglesby
DL · 1990–1995 · CIN, GB, MIA, NYJ
- Rare
Audray McMillian
DB · 1990–1993 · MIN
- Rare
Pepe Williams
DB · 2022–2023 · BAL
- Rare
Jason Phillips
WR · 1990–1993 · ATL, DET
- Rare
Billy Milner
OL · 1995–1997 · MIA, RAM
- Rare
Monty Montgomery
DB · 1997–2004 · IND, NO, PHI, SF
- Rare
Ajani Carter
DB · 2025 · HOU
- Rare
Brandon Wilson
DB · 2017–2021 · CIN
- Rare
Terrance Ganaway
RB · 2012 · RAM
- Rare
Chuck Weatherspoon
RB · 1991 · TB
- Epic
Marquez Stevenson
WR · 2021 · BUF
- Epic
Rex Hadnot
G · 2004–2012 · ARI, CLE, LAC, MIA
- Epic
Art Green
DB · 2024–2026 · ARI, NYG
- Epic
Johnnie Jackson
DB · 1990–1992 · GB, SF
- Epic
Kimble Anders
RB · 1991–2000 · KC
- Epic
Dean Connors
RB · 2026 · RAM
- Epic
Keith Cooper Jr.
DL · 2025–2026 · CLE, MIA
- Epic
Mike Gisler
OL · 1993–1999 · NE, NYJ
- Epic
Hanik Milligan
FS · 2004–2007 · ARI, LAC, RAM
- Epic
Gervarrius Owens
DB · 2023–2024 · NYG, TEN
- Epic
T.J. Turner
DL · 1990–1992 · MIA
- Epic
Kenneth Farrow
RB · 2016 · LAC
- Epic
James Dixon
WR · 1990–1991 · DAL
- Epic
DeMarcus Ayers
WR · 2016–2017 · NE, PIT
- Epic
Thomas Gafford
LS · 2008–2016 · CHI, DEN, KC, RAI
- Epic
Chuck Clements
QB · 1997 · NYJ
- Epic
Jimmy Herndon
OL · 1996–2002 · CHI, HOU, JAX
- Epic
Nick Thurman
DL · 2019–2024 · ATL, CAR, NE
- Epic
Emeke Egbule
LB · 2019–2021 · LAC
- Epic
Mike Green
RB · 2000–2002 · TEN
- Epic
Willie Gaston
DB · 2007 · BAL
- Epic
Steven Dunbar
WR · 2018 · SF
- Epic
Jermaine Williams
RB · 1998–2001 · JAX, KC, RAI
- Epic
Dedric Mathis
DB · 1996–1997 · IND
- Epic
Reggie Burnette
LB · 1991–1993 · GB, TB
- Epic
Ben Fricke
OL · 1999–2001 · DAL
- Epic
Joffrey Reynolds
RB · 2003 · RAM
- Epic
Fendi Onobun
TE · 2010–2011 · BUF, JAX, RAM
- Epic
Kody Russey
OL · 2022 · NE
- Epic
Josh Lovelady
OL · 2001–2003 · DET
- Epic
T. Marcus Spriggs
OL · 1997–2003 · BUF, GB, MIA
- Epic
Cameron Malveaux
DL · 2017–2021 · ARI, CLE, MIA, PHI
- Epic
Phillip Hunt
DE · 2011–2015 · DET, PHI
- Epic
Nolan Frese
LS · 2016 · SEA
- Epic
Alexander Myres
DB · 2020 · DET
- Epic
Sammy Brown
OLB · 2012–2013 · MIA, RAM
- Epic
Ostell Miles
RB · 1992–1993 · CIN
- Epic
Derrick Mathews
LB · 2017 · NYG
- Epic
Wilbert Brown
OL · 1999–2003 · LAC, NE, WAS
- Epic
Joey Mbu
NT · 2015–2017 · ATL, IND
- Epic
Ed Thomas
TE · 1990–1992 · BUF, TB
- Legendary
Brandon Middleton
WR · 2007–2008 · DET
- Legendary
Leonta Rheams
DL · 1998 · NE
- Legendary
Gerome Williams
DB · 1997–1998 · LAC
- Legendary
D'Juan Hines
LB · 2018 · CLE
- Legendary
Joey Banes
OL · 1990 · IND
- Legendary
Rodney Hannah
TE · 2008 · DAL
The rarest links
The players almost nobody names first, and the biggest bonus in a puzzle.
- Legendary
A.J. Haulcy
DB · 2026 · IND
- Legendary
Isaiah Johnson
DB · 2019–2020 · RAI
- Ball-knower
Biren Ealy
WR · 2007 · TEN
- Ball-knower
Antoine Simpson
DL · 1999–2000 · LAC, MIA
- Ball-knower
Lee Hightower
DB · 2016 · IND
- Ball-knower
Brandon Evans
G · 2004 · HOU
- Ball-knower
Pat Edwards
WR · 2013 · DET
- Unicorn
Adrian McDonald
DB · 2016 · LAC
Players who attended more than one school appear on each school's page. Team lists count franchises, so earlier cities and names are included (Raiders in Oakland, Rams in St. Louis). Rarity tiers come from the same scoring The Chains uses in its daily puzzles.