The Houston Texans shook up their quarterback room on Monday, just days ahead of their regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills, signing college free agent Mark Gronowski to their practice squad roster.
On Tuesday, September 8, Gronowski’s father–former Drake University QB (1981-1985) Ray Gronowski–reacted to the news.
“Excited about this opportunity with the Houston Texans,” the elder Gronowski posted on X.
Gronowski is inexperienced, but the Texans are just trying to fill the void left in the wake of 2024 sixth-round pick Graham Mertz’s season-ending knee injury.
Mark Gronowski Gets Shot With Texans
Gronowski has good size at 6-foot-2 and 220-plus pounds. There are questions about his mechanics and accuracy. Still, he has the tools and makeup to become a staple on NFL rosters for years to come.
“Hell yes. Kid is a baller. Saw him beat my UIW team 55-14 in freezing cold & snow in the FCS Quarterfinals in 2024,” Houston Stressans (Garret Williams) posted on X in reaction the news of Gronowski signing with the Texans.
“Welcome to Houston Mark Gronowski.”
Gronowski finished his first NFL preseason as a member of the Dolphins. He completed 6 of 13 passes (46.2%) for 98 yards in his two appearances.
For context, the Texans cut Rypien after a 145-1-2 line on 57.6% completion (19 of 33) in one game. His penchant for turnovers overshadowed a superior (relatively speaking) completion percentage and veteran acumen.
Gronowski is just searching for some stability early in his career.
Mark Gronowski Seeking NFL Home
“The Dolphins have played musical chairs with their quarterbacks, with starter Malik Willis the only constant,” Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams wrote on August 31. “They traded Quinn Ewers to the Jaguars and released Cam Miller. After initially keeping Mark Gronowski on the active roster, the Dolphins sent a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Packers for Kyle McCord. They cut Gronowski in a corresponding move.
“On Monday afternoon, though, the team announced that it has re-signed Gronowski to the practice squad.”
The Dolphins announced they cut Gronowski again on September 1, posting on X, “We have also released QB Mark Gronowski from the practice squad,” amid a flurry of other transactions for their roster.
Now, Gronowski will look to get the Texans offense down pat.
Texans Add ‘Big, Sturdy Passer’ With Dual-Threat Skill Set
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler broke down Gronowski’s game. It is clear to see what about him would intrigue a team like the Texans. They have C.J. Stroud, and the plan is to extend him when they can agree on terms.
Former starter Davis Mills is a reliable backup, but he is also on an expiring contract.
“Gronowski is a big, sturdy passer and forces teams to defend both his arm and legs. He is poised from the pocket but at his best as a ball carrier and on designed movements (naked rollouts, waggles, bootlegs, etc.), on which he can access his athleticism and toughness. Though he processes well and has a powerful arm, his timing and ball placement lacked consistency the last two seasons,” Brugler wrote in “The Beast” 2026 pre-draft guide.
“However, his intelligence, intangibles and resume will speak to NFL teams — he set an NCAA record, across all levels, with 58 career wins as a starting quarterback.”
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