Houston Texans

Louis Nix motivated by Bill O'Brien's challenge

Published May. 29, 2015 1:36 a.m. ET

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At the NFL's owners meetings in March, Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien offered a blunt answer when asked what he was looking for defensive tackle Louis Nix III in his second season.

"I would say the ability to make it through a practice," O'Brien said, according to ESPN's Tania Ganguli. "That would be the biggest thing I need to see."

Ouch.

Nix though, said this week that he took his coach's comments as a challenge, rather than a criticism.

"Bill would have said the same thing to my face," Nix said Wednesday, according to Ganguli. "I took it as he does want to see me on the field. I haven't been on the field. I haven't really been through a practice because I had a lot of issues. Him saying all that, I took that as Bill just wanting to see me be the best player that I can be. That motivates me, of course, because I do want to be the best player I can be.

"I like when Bill challenges me. I love a challenge. I can prove a lot of you guys wrong, too."

Nix, who was taken in the third round of the 2014 draft, dealt with knee issues last summer before suffering a wrist injury that landed him on injured reserve in late September.

He said his goal for 2015 is a simple one.

"My goal this year is to make it through a practice. That's my goal," Nix said.

(h/t ESPN)

Photo credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

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