Team

TWITTER: @briancushing56

TRANSACTIONS: Selected by Houston Texans in the first round (15th pick overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft...signed by Texans on Aug. 2, 2009.

HONORS:
Associated Press All-Pro Second Team (2011)
Team Most Valuable Player (2011)
Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-AFC Team (2011)
Pro Bowl Selection (2010)
Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year (2009)
Team Rookie of the Year (2009)
Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year (2009)
Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie Team (2009)
AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 6, 2009; Week 8, 2009)
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month (November, 2009; December, 2009)

CAREER:
Led the team in tackles in 2009 and 2011, and has 323 tackles in his career
His 133 tackles in 2009 finished tied for second most in the AFC, trailing only Ray Lewis’ 134 tackles
Ranks 10th in team history with 9.5 career sacks
Has six career interceptions, 19 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and one safety
Has 10 career double-digit tackle games

2011 (Houston 16/16):
Second Team Associated Press All-Pro selection and finished the season with a team-best 114 tackles (77 solo), 4.0 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles
Elected a team captain by his teammates in the second half of the season
Started and led all Texans defenders with seven tackles (four solo) and one quarterback pressure in the season opener vs. Indianapolis (9/11)
Led the team with 10 tackles (seven solo) at Miami (9/18), his eighth double-digit tackle game
Made five tackles (four solo) and one quarterback pressure at New Orleans (9/25)
Tied for the team lead with six tackles (two solo) vs. Pittsburgh (10/2)
Recorded his first sack of the season and finished tied for the team lead in tackles with eight (seven solo) vs. Oakland (10/9)
Made five tackes (three solo) including one for a loss at Baltimore (10/16)
Led the defense with six tackles (five solo) and had a pass defensed at Tennessee (10/23)
Named the Defensive Player of the Game for the Texans after leading the team with seven tackles and intercepting a Blaine Gabbert pass vs. Jacksonville (10/30)
Led the defense with seven tackles (four solo) and sacked Colt McCoy for a 5-yard loss vs. Cleveland (11/6)
Led the defense with eight solo tackles, one sack and an interception at Tampa Bay (11/13)
Tied for the team lead in tackles with six (five solo) while also adding two hits on the quarterback vs. Atlanta (12/4)
Recorded his ninth career double-digit tackle game with 12 tackles (nine solo), including one for a loss vs. Carolina (12/18)
Led the team in tackles for the 10th time in 2011 while also forcing two fumbles, including a sack-fumble on the first defensive play of the game at Indianapolis (12/22)
Had four tackles (two solo) in only one half of play vs. Tennessee (1/1/12) in the season finale
Led the team with 19 postseason tackles
Started in his postseason debut and registered a team-leading eight tackles, including five solos and one for loss in AFC Wild Card Playoff vs. Cincinnati (1/7/12)
Recorded 11 tackles (five solo) and one pass defensed in AFC Divisional Playoff at Baltimore (1/15/12)

2010 (Houston 12/12):
Started the final 12 games of the regular season and totaled 76 tackles (49 solo), 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble
Made season debut vs. the New York Giants (10/10) and had nine tackles (four solo) and one pass defensed
Made eight tackles (seven solo) including one quarterback hit vs. Kansas City (10/17)
Returned to strongside linebacker and recorded nine solo tackles and one quarterback hit at Jacksonville (11/14)
Made four solo tackles and forced a fumble at the New York Jets (11/21)
Led the defense with seven tackles (three solo) including four for a loss to go along with two passes defensed vs. Tennessee (11/28)
Recorded 1.5 sacks for 12 yards lost and 10 tackles (six solo) including three for a loss vs. Baltimore (12/13)
Made five tackles (four solo) including two quarterback hits vs. Jacksonville (1/2/11)

2009 (Houston 16/16):
Started all 16 games as a rookie and was named Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year
Voted into the 2010 Pro Bowl but was unable to play due to injury
Made professional debut for the Texans, starting at linebacker against the New York Jets (9/13), and tied for the team high with eight tackles (five solo)
Became the first Texans rookie to lead his team in tackles in his first three career games vs. Jacksonville (9/27), where he registered eight tackles (six solo), one tackle for loss, and two pass defenses
Wrapped up Oakland RB Justin Fargas in the end zone for the Texans first safety since 12/15/02 vs. Oakland (10/4)
Made nine tackles (six solo), two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and intercepted a pass from Bengals QB Carson Palmer late in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory at Cincinnati (10/18)
Named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week (10/21) for his performance
Led the Texans in tackles for the sixth time in eight games with 10 (three solo) as well as having one sack, one pass defensed and one interception at Buffalo (11/1)
Set a career high with 12 tackles (10 solo), one pass defensed, one tackle for a loss and one quarterback hit at Indianapolis (11/8)
Defensive leader in tackles for the ninth time, compiling 11 tackles (seven solo) vs. Indianapolis (11/29), where he picked off a Peyton Manning pass for his third interception of the season
Named NFL Rookie of the Month of November after totaling 43 tackles, two interceptions and a sack
Recorded one sack for a loss of 13 yards, three quarterback hits and 10 tackles (six solo) including three for a loss vs. Seattle (12/13)
Made seven tackles (three solo) with two hits on Craig Nall including a half-sack for a loss of five yards at St. Louis (12/20)
Made nine solo tackles at Miami (12/27) inlcuding one for a loss, intercepted one pass, deflected a pass and sacked an opposing quarterback for the third straight week

COLLEGE:
Started 38-of-44 games he played in at USC, including 13 at right defensive end and 31 at strongside outside linebacker
Finished his career with 178 tackles (101 solos) that included 8.5 quarterback sacks for minus 57 yards, 27.0 stops for losses totaling 106 yards and two pressures
Intercepted one pass, deflected 12 others and blocked two punts
Consensus All-American as a senior, earning first-team accolades from Sports Illustrated and second-team honors from The Sporting News and Associated Press, and a consensus first-team All-Pac 10 choice
Finalist for the Butkus Award, semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy
Honorable mention All-Pac 10 selection in 2007 and second-team all-conference pick in 2006
Started the last four games in 2005, including the national title game

PERSONAL:
Attended Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) High School
Earned Parade, USA Today, Prep Football Report, Scout.com, Super Prep, EA Sports and Prep Star All-American honors as a senior
Recorded 120 tackles, 11 stops for loss, 10 sacks and seven interceptions as a linebacker in 2004
Played running back and tight end and gained 475 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 456 yards (35.1 avg) with seven scores