BREAKING NEWS: Houston Texans fans are heartbroken as star wide receiver Nico Collins and his family face devastating news regarding his mother. đ According to sources close to the team, Collins has temporarily stepped away from the Texans to be with his family during this difficult time, as his mother is battling serious health issues. The incident has prompted an outpouring of prayers and support from teammates, fans, and the entire NFL community. Although Collins is known for his fierce competitiveness and quiet determination on the field, this time, he has touched millions with the image of a devoted and loving son. đđ
The Houston Texans and the entire NFL community are rallying behind Nico Collins, the teamâs breakout wide receiver, after heartbreaking news emerged that his mother is facing severe health complications
Multiple sources close to the team have confirmed that Collins has temporarily stepped away from football to be with his family during this incredibly difficult time. The 26-year-old star, known for his quiet leadership and relentless work ethic, has asked for privacy and prayers as he focuses on what truly matters most â his mother.
đŹ âRight now, football can wait.â
According to Texans insiders, Collins personally informed head coach DeMeco Ryans and team executives earlier this week of his decision to take personal leave. The team immediately offered its full support, emphasizing that Collinsâ family comes before anything else.
Coach Ryans addressed the media with a heartfelt message:
âWeâre a family here, and Nico is part of that family. Right now, he needs to be with his mother â and thatâs exactly where he should be.â
The Texans organization has also requested that the media respect Collinsâ privacy, calling this âa deeply personal and emotional time for one of our own.â
đ The NFL Rallies Around Collins
Within hours of the announcement, messages of love, faith, and solidarity poured in from across the league.
C.J. Stroud, Collinsâ teammate and close friend, shared a simple but powerful message on X (formerly Twitter):
âWe got you, brother. Prayers up for Mama Collins.â đ
Other NFL stars â including Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Moore, and Tyreek Hill â echoed their support, proving that sometimes, the leagueâs fiercest competitors become one big family when it matters most.
Fans flooded social media with the hashtag #PrayForNico, turning it into a trending topic nationwide.
Posts of encouragement, photos of Collins embracing his mother after past games, and stories of his humble upbringing have all resurfaced, reminding everyone that even the toughest athletes carry hearts that break and bleed like anyone elseâs.
đč A Motherâs Strength Behind the Star
Those who know Collins personally have often spoken about the profound influence of his mother, who raised him with love, discipline, and unshakable faith.
From his high school days in Birmingham, Alabama, to his rise as one of the NFLâs most dynamic receivers, she has been his biggest fan, motivator, and hero.
In a past interview, Collins once said:
âEverything I am comes from her. The way I play, the way I fight â itâs her strength in me.â
That quote has now resurfaced across social media, shared thousands of times as fans send prayers not only to Nico but to the woman who shaped him.
đ Texans Fans Show Pure Class
At NRG Stadium, fans have already begun organizing gestures of support. A growing number plan to wear âMama Collins Strongâ T-shirts at the next home game, while others have started aÂ
One fan wrote on Facebook:
âHe gives us everything every Sunday. The least we can do is give him love when he needs it most.â
Texans Nation â often described as one of the NFLâs most loyal fanbases â is proving that their loyalty extends beyond touchdowns and stats.
đ A Private Battle, A Public Outpouring
Though details about his motherâs condition remain private, reports indicate that Collins has been spending nearly all his time at the hospital, stepping away from team practices and media commitments.
According to one close friend, Nico has remained strong for his family, often seen praying quietly before leaving the facility each night.
âHeâs heartbroken,â the source said. âBut heâs also showing incredible strength â the kind only a son with deep love for his mother could have.â
đŹ A 20-Word Statement from Nico Collins
âFootball gave me purpose, but my mother gave me life. Right now, sheâs my only game, my only fight.â â Nico Collins
â€ïž Love Beyond the Game
This story has touched millions not because of touchdowns or stats, but because it reveals the man behind the helmet â a son standing by his mother with courage, faith, and devotion.
While the Texans wait patiently for their star receiverâs return, fans and fellow players alike understand that some battles are bigger than football â and this one is being fought with love.
As one fan put it best:
âHeâs given us unforgettable plays on the field. Now we owe him something greater â our prayers off it.â
Stay strong, Nico Collins. Houston, and the entire NFL, are standing with you. â€ïžđđ
Oilers scoring struggles stay in the spotlight
The Edmonton Oilers took some steps in the right direction Saturday night.
The good: They outshot the Seattle Kraken 33-23, with a +10 shot differential, their highest since Game 2 of the season against the Vancouver Canucks.
The not-so-good: Too few of those pucks went into the Kraken net.
The bad: Off the back of a two-goal performance from old friend Jordan Eberle, Edmonton lost 3-2.
âI think thereâs some frustration,â said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. âWe expect more out of ourselves and playing better, but after a game like the other night where we put up six goals, a lot of guys are feeling good about themselves. We just need to play the right way and tonight for the most part, I thought we did.â
And while some of the players may be feeling good about themselves, it didnât seem to show as once again the Oilersâ best play didnât come until late. And once again, a sluggish start put them behind as it took Eberle all of one minute and 23 seconds to open the scoring. Tye Kartye would add Seattleâs second in the second as Edmonton was on the wrong side of the game.
Evan Bouchard would score his first of the season ripping a Bouch Bomb home on the power play later in that frame, before Eberleâs second of the game came partway through the third. As the Oilers continued to push Darnell Nurse would tip a Matias Ekholm shot home, but it was too little, too late.
Thatâs been a theme of the Oilers this year, who have scored just 14 five-on-five goals so far this season. Thatâs tied for the third-worst mark in the league, and on a per-hour basis, gives them sole custody of third with a 1.86 goals per hour rate a full two goals below the league-leading Carolina Hurricanes.
Over the previous three regular seasons, the Oilers had been the third strongest five-on-five scoring team, putting up 2.76 goals per hour, but that offence has been nowhere to be found early this season. The Oilers instead have had to bake their bread on the power play â something theyâve always done with ease.
Itâs not a formidable plan to win hockey games in the long run and while itâs still the time of season where the Oilers often play their worst hockey, they canât let this low-scoring continue. A six-goal outburst against the Montreal Canadiens was a good sign that the team can still score, but if you average out their goals per game in the other games, theyâve scored just 20 goals in eight games with a third coming on the power play.
Scoring struggles aside, Knoblauch likes what he saw from his teams game.
âThere was a lot of things I liked,â he said. âWe had more scoring chances than probably all but one game this year, especially in the third period. I thought we had a lot of pressure. Just some mistakes on giving up chances off the rush.
âWhether thatâs a poor bad pinch or the forwards not coming back, just out of sync there. Thatâs where Seattle had pretty much all their chances off plays like that. Most of it was good â and itâs a very important part â we need to get better at.â
With the Nation Vacation in Vancouver tonight, the Oilers will hope to build off it and find a way to convert on those scoring chances.
