Houston Texans Release Ryan Mallett As A Power Struggle Develops In Houston

The Ryan Mallett saga in Houston is finally, mercifully over.

Ryan Mallett has been released

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 27, 2015

The ex-Patriots quarterback came to the Houston Texans to much fanfare (including from yours truly) and soon showed signs of being a very good NFL quarterback in his only healthy start of the 2014 season. Heading into 2015, however, the Texans opted to grab some insurance at the position and picked up Brian Hoyer in free agency after trading away Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Jets. Though it was seen as a questionable decision at the time, the move turned out to be quite prudent when Hoyer won the starting job in training camp and Ryan Mallett responded by missing practice. Hoyer and Mallett would then go back and forth as the starting quarterback for the next two months during a series of painful (and entirely preventable) losses, culminating in Mallett once again failing to act like a professional football player.

To make things even worse, it was revealed yesterday that not only was Bill O’Brien exploring the possibility of releasing Mallett, but that he had already actually tried to do just that and was overruled by general manager Rick Smith.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we in the blogging business like to call a "fustercluck". There will be more time throughout this season to lament the employment of Rick Smith, but for now allow me to be the first to express equal parts relief and dread that Brian Hoyer is the only "starting" quarterback left on this roster. Oh, and while I am at it, I would like to take this opportunity to remind our wonderful readers that despite all of this misery, the Texans are still somehow only a game and a half back in the division.

Seriously, AFC South? Seriously?

UPDATE: Ryan Mallett has issued a statement in response to his release. Sort of.

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