The NFL likes to boast about its growing popularity overseas, but there’s at least one sign that foreign fans are deciding NFL tickets aren’t worth the price.
Tickets to the October 18 Texans-Jaguars game at London’s Wembley Stadium are not selling well. General tickets have been on sale since May 29, and it remains easy on ticket sites to find large blocks of tickets available. Searching ticket sites, fans can find blocks of 12 seats together in many sections of the stadium.
The popular NFL UK Tickets social media account, which tracks ticket availability for NFL London games and is not affiliated with the league, posted a seating map showing many tickets remain unsold.
“Can’t actually believe how badly the Texans v Jaguars game has sold. Over a week of the general sale and this is a snap shot of what the stadium looks like. Gone are the days of selling out the first day, people voting with their feet and staying away due to price,” NFL UK Tickets posted.
Replies to that post show many UK-based fans saying the NFL has made tickets too expensive, with some saying it’s cheaper to fly to the United States to see an NFL game than to buy tickets in their own home country.
The NFL will play a record nine international games this year and plans even more next year, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suggesting that the league may eventually play 16 games overseas, with every team leaving the country once. Poor ticket sales may be the only thing that could slow down the NFL’s aggressive international plans.
The Texans have agreed to terms with first-round offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge on his four-year rookie contract, Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports.
His signing leaves fourth-round offensive guard Febechi Nwaiwu as the final unsigned draft pick. Second-round defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, second-round tight end Marlin Klein, fourth-round linebacker Wade Woodaz, fifth-round safety Kamari Ramsey, sixth-round wide receiver Lewis Bond and seventh-round Aiden Fisher previously signed.
The Texans traded up two spots to draft Rutledge with the 26th overall pick out of Georgia Tech.
He can play center or guard and has spent the offseason working with the first-team at center.
Rutledge earned first-team All-ACC honors and was a third-team All-American.
The Texans announced a pair of roster moves on Thursday morning.
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They have signed tight end Louis Hansen to their 90-man roster. Wide receiver Jalen Walthall was waived in a corresponding move.
Hansen was undrafted out of the University of Connecticut earlier this year and he tried out for the Texans during their rookie minicamp. Hansen had 46 catches for 463 yards and four touchdowns over three seasons with the Huskies. He also played in three games over two years for Michigan prior to his transfer.
Walthall signed with the Texans in May. He was undrafted after playing at Incarnate Word and Hawaii.
The Texans signed undrafted free agent offensive lineman Derrick Graham on Tuesday, the team announced.
Graham recently worked out for the Texans.
He played for Texans offensive line coach and run game coordinator Cole Popovich at Troy University before transferring to Texas A&M and then following former Troy coach Jon Sumrall to Tulane. Graham is the son of Derrick Graham Sr., who played nine NFL seasons.
The Texans cut offensive guard Sidy Sow on Monday in a corresponding move.
Graham earned first-team all-conference at Tulane.
The outlook for Texans linebacker E.J. Speed’s recovery from a quadriceps injury is a little bleaker than it initially appeared to be.
Word last month was that Speed suffered a partial tear of his quad while lifting weights and that he’d be able to return to the field during the 2026 season. Speed went in for surgery and Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports that a further examination of the injury showed that he actually suffered a full tear.
The injury has been repaired surgically, but Speed is now expected to miss the entire season.
Speed started in nine of his 16 regular season appearances last season and played as a reserve in both of the team’s playoff outings. He had 65 tackles across all 18 games.
Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o are in line to start at linebacker for Houston this fall. Jake Hansen, Marte Mapu, Jake Hummel, and fourth-round pick Wade Woodaz are among the team’s other options.
