After joining the Texans in an offseason trade, David Montgomery has already stepped up as a vocal leader.
Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle
Houston Texans running back David Montgomery (32) is shown during OTAs at Houston Methodist Training Center in Houston Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle
The first memory Danny Barrett recalls of David Montomgery was when the Houston Texans played the Chicago Bears in 2020.
On the first play of the Bears’ first possession, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky handed it off out of the shotgun to Montgomery, who ran through the hole and stiff-armed then-Texans safety Justin Reid before breaking free for an 80-yard touchdown.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” said Barrett, the Texans’ running backs coach and longest tenured member of the coaching staff. “I was standing on the sideline and he goes 80 for a (touchdown). I go ‘Man, OK, I like that.
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“To have the ability, first play of the game to put a dagger into a team. That’s his mindset.”
Montgomery’s mindset and style of play is a huge reason the Texans traded for him in March. And they are hoping he, with the addition of several other pieces, can be the difference in their running game, which ranked among the bottom of the NFL last season.
Houston ranked 22nd out of 32 teams in rushing yards per game last season, and 29th in rushing touchdowns, last among the NFL’s playoff teams.
The Texans didn’t run it much with Montgomery during minicamp, as they hoped to preserve him until training camp begins next month.
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But he showed he’s been valuable in other areas.
“That mindset, that downhill, ‘I don’t have to go around you, I’m going to go through you mindset,’ is something that brings a different energy to the backfield,” tight end Dalton Schultz said. “I’m hoping that this scheme works well for him. I think he’s seeing it great.
“At the end of the day, we brought in another leader.”
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The latter was missing from the Texans’ offense in 2025.
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In 2024, the Texans had vocal leaders like Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon. They were the ones to call the offense out in meetings for not performing up to their standards. But Diggs departed in free agency during the 2025 offseason, and Mixon suffered a foot injury that caused him to miss all of the 2025 season.
While C.J. Stroud is a leader by example, the quarterback has never been the loudest in the room. Montgomery provides that type of vocal leadership, as he’s often the one who speaks up in offensive meetings.
“He’s the elder statesman in the room so I allow him an opportunity to talk to the guys quite a bit,” Barrett said. “He’s always giving them great advice, but in a loving and fun manner.”
Houston Texans running back David Montgomery (32) is shown during OTAs at Houston Methodist Training Center in Houston Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle
It’s been a couple of years since Montgomery was the lead back for a team. When the Lions drafted Jahmry Gibbs 12th overall in 2023, Montgomery had the most carries that season. He also rushed for 1,000 yards for the second time in his career.
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But each year, the distribution of carries has favored Gibbs, who has since become one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Still, Montgomery remains an effective player. He rushed for 716 yards, scored eight touchdowns and averaged 4.5 yards per carry in 2025. That was more than any Texans rusher.
His best game that season was Sept. 22 against the Baltimore Ravens, where he rushed for 150 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns.
“I’ve admired him for a long time, dating back to when he was at Iowa State, he’s a Cincinnati guy,” said offensive coordinator Nick Caley, a fellow Ohio native. “He’s tough. He embodies everything we want here with our team and with our offense. He comes to work every single day.”
Coach DeMeco Ryans, who has emphasized the need for a more effective running game to take pressure off Stroud, agreed with that sentiment.
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He said Montgomery’s addition has helped the entire running back room, which includes Woody Marks, Jawhar Jordan and British Brooks.
“You see a guy of his caliber and what he’s been able to accomplish in the league, there’s a lot to learn from, a lot for him to share with those guys,” Ryans said. “I see that room has improved drastically by adding David to our team.”
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For the Texans to be an improved offense this season, it starts with improving the running game. Caley told the Chronicle in an interview recently that the offense didn’t have much balance in 2025. He admitted that at times, the Texans got too pass-heavy early in the season, which led to their ineffectiveness.
With the additions they’ve made to the offensive line, tight end and Montgomery, that is expected to change.
And with that, perhaps their production as the offense searches to become more balanced.
Barrett believes Montgomery will help with that, and is confident he’ll see some of those same plays he showed against the Texans back in 2020.
“He’s looking for every opportunity to make plays,” Barrett said. “No matter what that is, whether it’s catching, running or blocking. So that mental mindset he has, those are the uncoachables that I love and what he brings to the room.
“I can step out of the room and know that if I say ‘Hey D’Mo, take over,’ the guys are going to get some good knowledge.”