Former Denver Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien is getting another shot at continuing his long and winding NFL career.
Rypien signed a free-agent contract with the Houston Texans on Saturday after backup quarterback Graham Mertz tore his ACL in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.
“The Texans are signing veteran quarterback Brett Rypien after a season-ending knee injury suffered by third quarterback Graham Mertz, per a league source,” NFL reporter Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account on Saturday. “Rypien, 30, has played for multiple NFL teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals last season. Rypien has previous stints with the Chicago Bears, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos. A former Boise State standout and the nephew of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, Rypien has completed 58.3 percent of his career passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has a 2-2 record as a starter. At Boise State, he passed for 13,581 yards and 90 touchdowns.”
Looking Back on Rypien’s Time as Starter in Denver
Rypien, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mark Rypien, was a 4-time All-MWC selection at Boise State and the MWC Offensive Player of the Year before going undrafted in 2019.
Rypien threw for 13,581 yards, 90 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in college and eventually made the Broncos as an undrafted free agent. Rypien lasted 4 seasons with the Broncos, going 1-2 as a starter.
After being released by the Broncos following the 2022 season, he spent 2023 with the Rams, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets before finding a home with the Vikings in 2024.
Rypien is 2-2 as an NFL starter with 950 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, along with a staggering 7 fumbles. He spent all of the 2025 season with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Texans have arguably the NFL’s best defense and have made the AFC Playoffs each of the last 3 seasons, losing in the AFC Divisional Round each time.
Former Denver Broncos QB Signs With Super Bowl Contender