Houston Texans Media Conference

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Houston, Texas, USA

Shaq Mason

Press Conference


Q. Is the offensive line picking up all the Bills the rest of the year?

SHAQ MASON: I think we got to cover for a little while (smiling).

Q. What is the feeling amongst the group with Tytus?

SHAQ MASON: Great feeling, man. Waking up to that news was big for me, big for the room, big to Tytus as well. He deserved it. I think he's just going to build off that. Now we stable, it's time to ride.

Q. How different is it when you look around, a lot of years you can play together versus how you first got together?

SHAQ MASON: Does a lot, man. Builds confidence. Builds continuity. Us being together for the next however many years, it's going to build continuity, know what each other is going to do the next moment.

Q. You have two quarterbacks that are battling for being the franchise quarterback. What does it do knowing the same guys...

SHAQ MASON: Big. It's big. Especially both of those guys are young guys. It's big for their confidence, as well, just knowing you got something shored up up front. You did depend on us.

Q. What have you learned about Tytus working next to him for the short amount of time that you have, something you didn't know before he got here?

SHAQ MASON: Extremely hard working. Takes a lot of pride in his craft. That's something that you want going to battle with somebody each and every day. Knowing he cares just as much as you do, knowing I don't want to let him down, he don't want to let me down. That's big for the line.

Q. (Question about the line, Tytus.)

SHAQ MASON: They welcome me with open arms. As soon as I got traded here, they both hit me up. We mesh well.

Q. You mentioned the consistency, but also the importance of the position. You went in the trenches, either side of the ball. The fact with a change to DeMeco, what does that say about the how franchise is reconstructed?

SHAQ MASON: It shows that the game is won in the trenches. Us up front, it puts a lot of onus on us. We're looking forward to accepting that challenge. We're going up there and putting my best foot forward each and every day.

Q. New scheme this year. Each offensive line has little specific things specific to them. What is something that you would like to tell fans that they should be looking for in their offensive line play?

SHAQ MASON: I mean, I don't want to get into the ins and outs of the scheme or anything.

Q. Generally.

SHAQ MASON: Just generally, you going to get five guys ready to roll. That's the biggest thing to it.

Q. Did Tytus text you, let y'all know? How did you find out?

SHAQ MASON: He called me like late last night. He was like, We here.

Q. How late?

SHAQ MASON: It wasn't too late. Like it was I guess when he got the news, he hit up the group chat, so...

Q. You all talk?

SHAQ MASON: Absolutely. Absolutely.

Q. You got three guys that are pretty stable on the offensive line. You have a position in the center spot where there's a variety of veterans, rookies. What have you seen from the battle so far and what each of them bring?

SHAQ MASON: Each of those guys, they're working hard. I know it's a battle for whoever may play these other positions, however it may go.

I just know that each one of those guys are trying to build their confidence and our confidence in them. That's just how line play goes.

Q. Rookies, OTAs, ask as many questions as possible. Have you noticed them with text messages reaching out to you?

SHAQ MASON: They're sponges, man. That's the biggest thing you can be as a young guy, be a sponge, soak up as much as you can, ask many questions. That propels you as a young guy.

Q. First training camp, offensive coordinator as well. What can you tell us about him?

SHAQ MASON: Brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, man. It's easy to go out there and play for a guy that brings a lot of energy. As well as DeMeco, they bring a lot of juice.

As players, you want to go out there and put your best foot forward if you got a guy behind you as well as they are.

Q. Kenyon, his ability to absorb a lot from you guys. Trying to make it back from surgery, be ready for the first day. What does that say to you guys?

SHAQ MASON: Testament to him, man, working hard in rehab, trying to get out there and get back to work. That says a lot to us that day one in training camp he's out there grinding. It means a lot.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

SHAQ MASON: Appreciate y'all.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
135358-1-1004 2023-07-26 16:40:00 GMT

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