Justin Houston’s goal with the Dolphins is simple: I came here to put pressure on the quarterback

Outside linebacker Justin Houston has 112 sacks since joining the league in 2011.

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Justin Houston was one of three pass rushers signed by the Miami Dolphins after losing Andrew Van Ginkel, Cameron Goode, and Jerome Baker to season-ending injuries against the Buffalo Bills. A third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Houston, 34, played seven games with the Carolina Panthers earlier this season.

“Thank God for my experience so it’s easier to learn the playbook,” Houston said of finding his rhythm in Miami. “I’ve been in this system before, so it’s not that bad. I’m in a good situation because I’ve played in a system similar to this when I was in Carolina.

“It’s not too much on me. But if I was a young guy, there would be a lot on my plate. But I’m cool right now.”

The Dolphins finished the regular season third in the NFL with 56 total sacks. Bradley Chubb led the team with 11 quarterback takedowns, one ahead of Zack Sieler. Fellow defensive tackle Christian Wilkins ranks third with nine sacks, and due to waves of injuries, Houston will be needed on the edge Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I’m a pass rusher,” Houston said. “That’s my job is to put pressure on the quarterback. So I came here to put pressure on the quarterback.” Steelers Considered Justin Houston

Houston was drafted by the Chiefs and spent eight seasons in Kansas City. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and a 2014 first-team All-Pro with 22 sacks and four forced fumbles.

“Have you seen that locker room? It’s a closet,” Houston joked. “That’s not a locker room. They’re going to put us in a closet. (laughter) But it’s cool man. New environment. I’m just happy I’m still playing ball so it’s a blessing to be here.

“I think we can do a great rotation to keep everybody fresh. I think it would be good for us and this team.”

Can a Paywall Work for the NFL Playoffs? Peacock Will Find Out

What Dolphins DC Matt Burke was thinking when this amazing photo was snapped

Matt and Tracy R. are lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fans, born and raised in Kansas. Now, both brothers live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but Matt remains a season-ticket holder. He’ll be braving the cold at Saturday’s wild-card playoff game against the Miami Dolphins with his son. But Tracy won’t be attending—and he’s not a subscriber to Peacock, which will air the first exclusively streamed NFL playoff game. Since he doesn’t live in the K.C. or South Florida markets, Tracy has been debating whether to spend $5.99 to sign up for Peacock’s basic monthly subscription or venture out to a sports bar.

The decision won’t break Tracy’s bank account, but it’s the new reality for NFL fans in 2024. NBCUniversal paid $110 million for the right to put Chiefs-Dolphins on its three-year-old streaming network. The deal is only for this year, but moving forward, the NFL has said that one wild-card game each year will be intended for a streamer. (Amazon was reportedly interested in acquiring this season’s game.)