| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, DeMeco Ryans, linebacker for the NFL's Houston |
|
|
Texans, was named the 2006 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the |
|
|
Year after receiving 72 percent of the votes cast for this |
|
|
prestigious award; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Houston's second-round draft pick in 2006, Mr. Ryans |
|
|
played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was |
|
|
named SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and was an |
|
|
Academic All-American; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Ryans finished his first NFL season with a |
|
|
team-leading 156 tackles, including a league-leading 126 solo |
|
|
stops, and he demonstrated amazing durability by playing nearly |
|
|
every down of every game, including a run of 14 straight games |
|
|
without missing a play; moreover, his 156 tackles were the highest |
|
|
total for any rookie in the past two decades; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, This defensive stalwart recorded 13 tackles in his |
|
|
NFL debut and posted double-digit tackles in nine of his team's 16 |
|
|
games, leading the team or tying for the team lead in tackles 10 |
|
|
times; in his most impressive game of the season, Week 13 at |
|
|
Oakland, Mr. Ryan notched 15 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered a |
|
|
fumble, snagged an interception, defended three passes, recorded a |
|
|
quarterback hurry, and sacked the quarterback for an eight-yard |
|
|
loss; for that effort, he was named AFC Defensive Player of the |
|
|
Week; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In addition to his receipt of that superlative, |
|
|
Mr. Ryans also garnered the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month award |
|
|
for his outstanding play in December, when he posted 57 tackles in |
|
|
five games and helped the Texans post a 3-2 record for that month; |
|
|
for the season, he also tied for the lead among rookie inside |
|
|
linebackers with 3.5 sacks and finished second among rookie |
|
|
linebackers with one interception; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The achievements of this talented young football |
|
|
player are truly impressive; his seamless transition from the |
|
|
college ranks to the NFL is a tribute to his exceptional physical |
|
|
ability, his knowledge and understanding of the game, and his |
|
|
dedication to excellence, and the future is indeed bright with |
|
|
promise for DeMeco Ryans; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby congratulate DeMeco Ryans on his selection as |
|
|
the 2006 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year and extend to |
|
|
him best wishes for a long and successful career in the NFL; and, be |
|
|
it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Mr. Ryans as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |