HOUSTON ERUPTS: Jayden Higgins Is One Touchdown Away From Shattering the Texans’ All-Time Rookie Record — Closing In on Tank Dell’s 2023 Crown

HOUSTON ERUPTS: Jayden Higgins Is One Touchdown Away

 From Shattering the Texans’ All-Time Rookie Record — Closing In on Tank Dell’s 2023 Crown, Threatening to Rewrite Andre Johnson’s Legacy, and Emerging as the NFL’s Next Great Superstar

HOUSTON, Texas — The energy inside NRG Stadium hasn’t felt like this in years. Not since the early days of Andre Johnson, not since the magical flashes of DeAndre Hopkins, and not since Tank Dell lit up the league in 2023 with a rookie season that stunned the NFL world.

But now, a new name is roaring into the spotlight — one rapidly climbing the ranks of Texans history, one sending shockwaves through Houston’s fanbase, and one inching closer to a record that not long ago felt untouchable:

Jayden Higgins.

The rookie sensation is officially one touchdown away from breaking the Texans’ all-time rookie receiving touchdown record — a mark set by none other than Tank Dell, the electric playmaker who captured Houston’s heart just a year earlier. Dell’s seven-touchdown season in 2023 set the bar for what a first-year wide receiver 

Now Higgins is about to leap over it.

And he’s doing it with a swagger, a consistency, and a quiet fire that has fans whispering something bold:

“Is this the next superstar of the franchise?”

A Rookie Suddenly on the Verge of History

When the Texans drafted Jayden Higgins, analysts labeled him “promising,” “raw,” “talented,” and “a future contributor.” Few — if any — predicted he would become 

But Higgins didn’t come to Houston to develop slowly.

He came to dominate.

Through crisp route-running, contested-catch mastery, and a competitiveness that electrifies the offense, Higgins has become a natural extension of C.J. Stroud’s explosive passing game. Each week, his role grows. Each week, he proves more indispensable. And each week, the record gets closer.

He now sits at six touchdowns, one behind Tank Dell’s rookie mark.

But the bigger story?
He’s doing it while also threatening a much larger legacy:

Andre Johnson’s rookie touchdown pace.

The greatest receiver in Texans history — a Hall of Fame finalist for many — set the foundation for Houston’s wide receiver culture. Every young star who enters the building lives in Johnson’s shadow.

And yet Higgins is playing with the confidence of someone who isn’t afraid of it.

In fact, he’s embracing it.

Tank Dell’s Throne Is in Danger — And He Loves It

Tank Dell isn’t running from the story.
He isn’t jealous.
He isn’t bitter.

He’s cheering.

According to multiple Texans insiders, Dell has been one of Higgins’ biggest supporters, challenging him in practice, celebrating with him after each touchdown, and pushing him forward like an older brother.

When asked about Higgins closing in on his record, Dell laughed:

“Records are meant to be broken. And if he breaks mine? Good. That means Houston’s getting stronger.”

This is the kind of culture head coach DeMeco Ryans has built:

Competitive.
Supportive.
Dangerous.
Rooted in brotherhood.

Dell and Higgins aren’t rivals — they’re a problem for defensive coordinators.

A big problem.

Stroud + Higgins: The Chemistry Houston Didn’t See Coming

C.J. Stroud already has the makings of a generational quarterback, and Higgins seems to be the receiver who reads his body language perfectly.

It’s the small things:

• Higgins adjusts mid-route when Stroud scrambles.

• Stroud trusts him in tight coverage.

• Their timing looks like it’s been developed over three years, not three months.

Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik admitted:

“Some players just click the moment they meet. Stroud and Higgins? They had chemistry from Day One.”

That chemistry is why Higgins keeps scoring.
It’s why he keeps rising.
And it’s why breaking the record feels like destiny, not luck.

Rewriting History — One Catch at a Time

If (or when) Higgins scores touchdown No. 7, he’ll tie Tank Dell.
Touchdown No. 8 will give him the all-time rookie record.

But that’s not the ceiling.

Many expect Higgins to finish the season in range of:

• 9, 10, even 11 touchdowns

• numbers that would put him among the top rookie receivers in NFL history

• and set him on a trajectory toward stardom only a few Texans players have ever reached

The comparisons have already begun.

Some analysts see DeAndre Hopkins in his footwork.
Some see Andre Johnson in his physicality.
Some see Tee Higgins in his frame and contested-catch ability.

But the truth is simpler:

Jayden Higgins is becoming the first, best version of himself.

And Houston is seeing it in real time.

Texans Fans Are Living a Dream They Didn’t Expect This Soon

A franchise that once struggled to find receiving talent after Hopkins’ departure now has:

• Tank Dell

• Nico Collins

• Noah Brown

• And Jayden Higgins — the rookie rising fastest of all

Fans are noticing.

NRG Stadium signs now read:

“FEED HIGGINS.”
“NEXT GREAT TEXAN.”
“STR0UD → HIGGINS ERA.”

With every leap, every toe-tap, every end-zone grab, Higgins pulls the city deeper into his orbit.

If he breaks the record at home?

The eruption could shake the ceiling.

The Future of the Franchise? It Might Already Be Here

Some rookies enter the NFL quietly, needing years to develop.

Some rookies take time to find their identity.

Jayden Higgins skipped that stage.

He’s writing his identity — and rewriting the Texans’ record book — right now.

As one longtime Texans reporter put it:

“Tank Dell lit the match.
Jayden Higgins is pouring gasoline on the fire.”

If he stays healthy…
If this connection with Stroud keeps growing…
If this trajectory continues…

Houston may not be watching the rise of a future star.

They may be watching the birth of a legend.

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