Overcoming ankle and knee injuries, the tenacious rookie cornerback readies for a physical playoff clash, bringing his ferocious tackling to Monday Night Football.
Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter does not like to miss any time on the field away from his teammates. To him, football is life, and it is one of the main things that brings him joy. He also wants to have a long career doing what he loves.
That is why he did not resist when the medical staff told him he would not be able to play in the season finale against the Indianapolis Colts.
Lassiter sat out as he recovered from a lingering ankle injury sustained last month and a knee injury suffered after teammate Jalen Pitre rolled up on his knee in a Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“It was hard for sure,” said Lassiter exclusively to Big Sarge Media on Thursday about sitting out. “At the end of the day, you have to look at it and think that it (injury) could have been worse. The play that I got banged up on, I watched it on film and was like, ‘Whew, God saved me.’ It could have been way worse, and it could have been a whole other conversation.
“So, as frustrated as I was, I was thankful. To only be out for a week, that was a blessing. In my head, I don’t think about that. It was protecting yourself from yourself, so I thank the coaching and medical staff.”
Lassiter, whom the Texans took in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, did not practice on Thursday, but is slated to start in the Wild Card matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night. Houston will need him as they prepare for a savvy veteran quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and a Steelers offense designed to get their running backs heavily involved in the offensive play-calling.
“It is going to be a physical brand of football on both sides,” said Lassiter. “Smash mouth football. They are coached very well, and we are coached very well, so it is going to be dog on dog and who wants it more.”
The former University of Georgia cornerback is a very rare breed of player in today’s NFL with a hunger and thirst for contact that he never shies away from, and opponents are aware of. Lassiter is the third leading tackler (91) on the team behind linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair (103) and Henry To’o To’o (93).
His ability and willingness to help in areas such as the run game are among the reasons the Texans have the NFL’s number one overall defense.
“It’s a unique skill set and a unique talent that he brings, and I would say that’s pretty rare in a corner and the way he plays,” said Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke. “He’s a want-to tackler, not a need-to. If you need to make a tackle, they do it, but he’s a want-to tackler. He wants to get in there.
“He wants to stick his face on things. He wants to be physical. He craves that, and that’s not a common skill in that position. I think that’s part of the culture that we’ve built. He’s at the forefront of that for sure.”