Larry

Izzo

No terms were announced. Izzo is the leader of a special teams unit that has recently struggled for the Patriots.

This continues Houston’s recent trend of hiring former Patriots. The three-time Pro Bowler served as the Giants’ assistant special teams coordinator from 2011-2015, winning a Super Bowl against his former team in 2011. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Izzo, who was an all Southwest Conference selection at Rice University in the mid 90s.

It’s almost certainly for the minimum, which is about $860,000 this year. Izzo, an aging core special teamer, has been the Pats’ teams captain since ’01.

Izzo is a special teamer that picked up seven tackles this season.

Izzo, a solid special teams specialist, had his 2009 season cut short by a neck injury. He’ll be 36 next season and could be at the end of the line.

Izzo’s testimony will be used to show that Barry Bonds’ ex-trainer was a ‘roids distributor. Izzo is the only football player on the prosecution’s list, further proving that the NFL’s steroids policy is working well.

Izzo, 34, should find a home in the AFC West if the Pats don’t want him back. Former New England OC Josh McDaniels is the new Broncos head coach and ex-Patriots special teams boss Brad Seely took the same job in KC.

The Jets aren’t holding Izzo’s steroid use against him. Izzo will play only special teams in New York. The 34-year-old isn’t a defensive factor.