Lassiter and Bullock's synchronized rise earns Pro Bowl nods, showcasing their dominant Texans defense and inseparable on-field chemistry.
Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Calen Bullock are not biological brothers, but if you are around them long enough, it is hard to tell they are from different parts of the United States, with Lassiter born in Georgia and Bullock in California.
Their bond and friendship deepened when they were both selected by the Houston Texans in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they have been inseparable ever since. The two are so in sync that they can finish each other’s sentences.
That is why it was only right that, on Monday, the NFL announced that Lassiter and Bullock would replace New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey in the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl.
Both players were vital parts of the Texans’ defense, which finished the regular season ranked number one overall in the NFL and sixth in pass defense.
They will join teammates Will Anderson Jr. (DE), Derek Stingley Jr. (CB), Azeez Al-Shaair (LB), and Nico Collins (WR), who were selected before the end of the regular season.
“Anytime they come around, they bring the energy,” said Stingley Jr. about second-year players Lassiter and Bullock.
Lassiter, who many believed had an All-Pro-caliber season, started all 16 regular-season games and totaled 91 tackles (62 solo), seven tackles for loss, one quarterback hit, 17 passes defensed, and 4 interceptions. He also had an outstanding postseason with 11 tackles (seven solo), one tackle for loss, and four passes defensed.
The hard-hitting Lassiter led all NFL cornerbacks in tackles, while his seven tackles for loss tied for the third most among his position group. He was also the third-leading tackler on the team behind Al-Shaair and LB Henry To’o To’o.
Since 1994, Lassiter has been one of only two cornerbacks in NFL history to record at least 75 tackles, five tackles for loss, 15 passes defensed, and three interceptions in a single season. In two postseason games, Lassiter totaled 11 tackles and four passes defensed.
“He has a unique skill set and a unique talent that he brings, and I would say that that’s pretty rare in a [cornerback] and the way he plays,” said Texans defensive coordinator about Lassiter. “He’s a want-to tackler, not a need-to. Sometimes corners, 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 it’s, again, that’s part of the culture in the den that we’ve built. He’s at the forefront of that for sure.”
Just like his locker mate and best friend, Bullock put up outstanding numbers in his second season as well, with 17 regular-season starts, 64 tackles (44 solo), 10 passes defensed, four interceptions, and one forced fumble. In the two postseason games, he totaled eight tackles (four solo), one pass defensed, one interception, and an interception return for a touchdown.
During November, Bullock played all 304 defensive snaps, recording 26 tackles (18 solo), five pass deflections, and three interceptions, tied for the most in the NFL during that span. In Week 12, in front of a prime-time audience and against reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Bullock had a Pro Bowl-worthy performance in the win over the Bills.
He recorded five tackles, two interceptions, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble in the game, becoming the fifth player 22 years old or younger in NFL history to record at least two interceptions and a forced fumble in the same game.
“Calen Bullock is the guy for me,” said Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after the Buffalo game. “The way he went out and intercepted the ball two times, forced a fumble to get us in plus territory there. My favorite play is the one that ended it.
“A lot of emotions going on the sideline through that entire drive. For Calen to come down with the interception, that was my favorite play because it meant it was over.”