USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, the Houston Texans solidified tight end Dalton Schultz as a part of their future, signing him to a three-year, $36 million extension.

Schultz was coming off of the second-most productive season of his career, making good on a one-year deal that brought him to Houston. He spent the first five years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, hauling in touchdown passes from quarterback Dak Prescott.

Having signed his contract and not having to worry about the consequences of his comments playing poorly on the open market, he took the time to open up about his past experiences in the league.

On “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schultz compared his Texans tenure with his time with the Cowboys and compared the two organizations.

“That was one of the first things that stuck out to me. It feels much more like – I don’t want to say college because it’s not – but the focus [in Houston] is just football, you know what I mean?” Schultz said. “I’m going back and telling some people about being around the Cowboys practice facility and gameday and describing some of the interactions and stuff that you see on a day-to-day basis and it surprises a lot of people.

“They’re like, ‘Holy crap, that actually happens at a practice facility?’ You think it’s normal and then you come to a place like this.”

Schultz would go on to compare the Dallas weight room to a zoo in the ways they were watched by fans seemingly all the time.

That, of course, is a creature of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ creation. For better or worse, all eyes are on Dallas, all the time. It’s one hell of a way to make a profit, though some argue it takes away from the chances of meeting expectations the media sets for them

“It’s different,” Schultz continued. “That’s the brand they’ve built, that’s what Jerry likes, that’s the way they run things. And there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just you don’t realize how many eyeballs that, how much that could maybe distract from stuff in the locker room until you go somewhere else.”

On the field at least, Schultz shouldn’t have any reservations about his free-agent decisions. Dallas is faring well at tight end – Jake Ferguson is very good in his own right — but Schultz and quarterback C.J. Stroud have formed a connection in the middle of an ascending offense.

In 2023, Schultz caught 59 of 88 targets for 635 yards and five touchdowns. It was his second-best year in terms of yards, yards per target, and touchdowns and he became more of a downfield threat, averaging the most yards per catch (10.8) of his career.

With how promising the Texans looked and the resources they have at their disposal, Schultz is well-positioned to be a key contributor to a contending force in the AFC for years to come. 

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Falcons react to NFL levying fine against team and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich
Insider names frontrunner in Browns' QB competition after drafting Shedeur Sanders
Yankees offense goes nuclear in blowout win
Giannis Antetokounmpo rips Tyrese Haliburton's father for 'disrespectful' act
Celtics make unique NBA playoff history in Game 5 win
How Steelers reportedly expect Aaron Rodgers saga will end
Juan Soto's bat speed decline threatens Mets' $765 million investment
NFL team executive expands on what Browns' Shedeur Sanders did wrong before draft
Insider suggests four-time Pro Bowl option for Steelers if Aaron Rodgers doesn't sign
Watch: Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton eliminate the Bucks in OT
Stanley Cup playoffs takeaways: Hurricanes advance, panic time for Maple Leafs
Jayson Tatum's historic game helps send Celtics to Eastern Conference semis
Pirates ace Paul Skenes explains why he's not concerned about potential injuries
Steelers may have found another steal in UDFA pool as Pittsburgh lands an athletic freak
49ers sign star TE to four-year extension
Spurs' Stephon Castle runs away with Rookie of the Year Award
Kings to make Doug Christie new head coach in full-circle moment
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy sends strong message about whether he's ready to start in 2025
Pistons' Cade Cunningham comes alive in fourth quarter to stave off elimination vs. Knicks
Cubs defeat Pirates with an impressive night at the plate

Want more Texans news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.