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Stephen A. Smith reacts to Houston trading for Stefon Diggs: 'They're probably the best team in Texas'

profilephotocropby:Suzanne Halliburton04/03/24

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stephen a smith cowboys texans
Tori Lynn Schneider / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Texans trade for Stefon Diggs delighted Stephen A Smith so much that he broke into a honey-sweet Texas accent and proclaimed that Houston now is the best in the Lone Star State.

Yes, in Smith’s opinion, the Texans are better than the Dallas Cowboys. So let the spirited discussion begin between all the football-loving folks in the state on whether the best football is played at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas or farther to the south at NRG in downtown Houston.

If you missed the news, the Bills and Texans pulled off a surprising trade. Here are the key details: Houston receives Diggs, a sixth-round pick for next month’s draft, plus a fifth-rounder for next year. In return, the Bills get a second-round pick, which the Texans initially received in an earlier trade with the Vikings, in next year’s draft.

The news broke while Stephen A Smith was on air for his ESPN morning show. And with a wide grin, Smith told the panel: “you know, y’all are missing the headline. They’re probably the best team in Texas.”

Louis Riddick agreed. “You know, you’re right. I tell you, this changes the dynamic. They’ve already been doing the work this off season. And now with him? Come on, now.”

Of course, Riddick is referring to all the moves the Texans have made the past month. Amongst the biggest ones — they traded for running back Joe Mixon from the Bengals and signed edge rusher Danielle Hunter, the former Vikings star. Coach DeMeco Ryans, a former standout linebacker for the Texans, made the biggest moves came on defense. You can check out a number of them here.

But Houston’s most dazzling star is quarterback C.J. Stroud, the reigning NFL rookie of the year. He was the No. 2 pick of last year’s draft. And then he led the Texans to the AFC South division title and the second round of the NFL playoffs.

So cue Stephen A., who morphed into his best impersonation of a Dallas oilman.

“You see down in Texas, down in Dallas, Texas, so what’s going to happen in Dallas Texas,” Smith said, as he broke into a huge grin. “They’re going to sit up there and monitor this situation. And it’s one thing for you not to make the Super Bowl. That’s bad. And it’s another thing not to make an NFC championship game in 29 years. That’s even worse.

“But it’s another thing … (the Texans) have got the younger quarterback. … They have the better coach. And these brothas ain’t going to cost $60 million against the salary cap. They gotta pay CeeDee Lamb, You gotta pay Dak Prescott. You got to figure out a way to pay Micah Parsons. And all the Houston Texans are doing is saying ‘howdy, we’re here, you understand. We’re focusing on the right things.’ I’m just saying.