Deepi Sidhu

In 2020 season that has had its share of disappointing losses, Tyrell Adams has shined for the Texans.

The Houston Texans inside linebacker stepped up as the starter when Pro Bowler Benardrick McKinney underwent season-ending surgery. Adams has surpassed all expectations, reaching 100 total tackles for the first time in his career last Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. He accomplished the feat in just 10 starts.

"I think that says a lot about the young man because he's basically a backup until he got the opportunity to go in and play," interim head coach Romeo Crennel said. 'He has gone in and he has done a good job for us running from sideline to sideline making those tackles. The effort that he puts in, the way that he goes about his job that allows him to make those plays. It says a tremendous amount about him as well."

Adams, in his fifth season, now leads the NFL in total tackles since Week 5 with 103 in 10 games. Adams has set single-season career highs in total tackles (106), sacks (2.0), tackles for loss (five), quarterback hits (two), passes defensed (three), forced fumbles (two), fumble recoveries (one), games started (10) and games played (14).

Signed by the Seattle Seahawks as a college free agent in 2018, Adams had stints with the Chiefs, Raiders, Bills, Colts, Texans and 49ers before finally finding his way back to the Texans practice squad at the end of the 2018 season.

With his first full season on a 53-man roster, Adams has made the most of every opportunity that has come his way.

"It's been up and down a lot of emotions into it, but it's been fun, the journey, just trying to prove myself either on the field to the guys, to the coaches, be a good teammate to those guys around me, just keeping the spirits up and everything," Adams said. "There's a lot of emotions for sure, but it's been cool."

Adams joins Brian Cushing, Jamie Sharper and Bernard Pollard as the only players in franchise history with 100 total tackles, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles in a single season.