Former All-Pro defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has picked the team he will play for to begin the 2026 NFL season. It was not the Seattle Seahawks.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Sunday that Clowney has signed a 1-year deal to return to the Houston Texans. Like the Seahawks, the Texans are another one of his former teams.
Clowney played in Houston from 2014-18. He spent the 2019 season with the Seahawks.
After an 8.5-sack season with the #Cowboys, Clowney stays in Texas in a deal done by @NFLagentandy of @UpperEdgeSports.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday the Seahawks had interest in bringing back Clowney. Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry also made it publicly known he wanted to sign Clowney.
But the veteran elected to stay in Texas. He played the 2025 campaign for the Dallas Cowboys.
In 153 NFL career games, Clowney has posted 66.5 sacks with 120 tackles for loss and 149 quarterback hits. He registered 8.5 sacks with 12 tackles for loss for the Cowboys last season.
During 2019, he had three sacks, seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits in 13 games for the Seahawks.
Seahawks Miss on Re-Signing Jadeveon Clowney
GettyDespite the Seattle Seahawks expressing interest in bringing back defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the veteran signed with the Houston Texans.
The Seahawks didn’t necessarily need Clowney on their roster. The defending Super Bowl champions have Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence returning this season. They also signed veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. in NFL free agency.
Last season, Williams was one of three pass rushers to reach seven sacks for the Seahawks. The other two, Byron Murphy and Uchenna Nwosu, will also be back in Seattle this fall.
So, even without Clowney, the Seahawks are in great shape along the edge. The former All-Pro would have just solidified the team’s depth and given the defending champions another defensive weapon.
Clowney turned 33 in February, but he continues to be an elite pass rusher. He’s registered at least 5.5 sacks in each of the past three years. During two of those seasons, Clowney had at least 8.5 sacks.
The veteran has been productive despite changing teams on a yearly basis. He hasn’t returned to the same team in back-to-back years since being with the Cleveland Browns from 2021-22.
Although he’s continued to play well, Clowney’s best seasons came with the Texans. Houston drafted him at No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. It took Clowney some time to live up to his draft hype, but he became a second-team All-Pro player in 2016.
From 2016-18, Clowney also made three consecutive Pro Bowls.
In Houston, the veteran will be trying to help the Texans reach the next level. In two and a half decades as a franchise, the Texans have never won more than 12 regular season games or advanced to the AFC championship game.
Seahawks Edge Rushing Depth at NFL Training Camp
GettyHead coach Mike Macdonald and the Seattle Seahawks should have strong edge rushing depth even without Jadeveon Clowney.
The Seahawks did lose an edge rusher from their championship roster in Boye Mafe. The 27-year-old signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in NFL free agency.
Mafe registered nine sacks in 2023 but last season, he only had two.
In 2025, the Seahawks had 10 other defenders besides Mafe reach at least two sacks. All 10 of those players will return, which puts Seattle in great position to replace Mafe even without Clowney.
Murphy, Williams and Nwosu led the Seahawks with seven sacks each last season. Lawrence was just behind them with six sacks.
There are also a few other intriguing veteran edge rushers still available in free agency if the Seahawks want another boost. Haason Reddick, Joey Bosa and Von Miller are among the top choices in the free agent edge rusher market.
Seahawks Lose out on Re-Signing Jadeveon Clowney: Report