Texans QB Mallett stung by losing starting job to Hoyer
HOUSTON (AP) -- Ryan Mallett was still seething on Tuesday, a day after Brian Hoyer beat him out to earn Houston's starting quarterback job.
"Am I disappointed? Yeah. Angry? Little bit," Mallett said. "Thought I did enough to deserve the job. But it was not seen that way so I'll do what's best for the team."
Coach Bill O'Brien, who announced the decision on Monday, said he wouldn't expect Mallett to be happy about losing the job.
"When you name a starter and the other guy happens to be the No. 2 guy, that guy's not going to be happy. Especially if he's a competitor," O'Brien said. "That's what you want. You don't want a guy jumping around doing back-springs when he gets named the backup."
The Texans played four quarterbacks last season because of injuries. Mallett, who started two games last season before a season-ending pectoral injury, thinks he'll get a chance to play.
"I'm just going to wait until my turn gets called," Mallett said. "At some point it's going to happen this year."
Mallett had just finished practice when he spoke on Tuesday. His hulking 6-foot-6 frame looked tense as he grabbed the sides of the podium as he spoke.
"I thought I had a pretty good camp," he said. "I thought I was consistent in my completion percentage every day. Didn't turn the ball over. Three incompletions so far in the preseason so I thought I was playing all right."
Aside from his two starts last season, Mallett has been a backup his entire career, spending three years behind Tom Brady in New England before joining the Texans last August. He felt much more comfortable in this offense this season after having an entire year to work on it and lamented being relegated to second string once again.
"I wanted this job more than anything," he said.
Mallett probably won't get over the sting of this decision for a while, if he ever does. So for now all he can do is stay focused and continue to prepare in case he gets a chance to play.
"I don't know what else to do but work my (butt) off so that's what I'm going to keep doing," he said.
