Chris Houston
No headshot available
Career Summary
Chris Houston is a former NFL cornerback who played for Atlanta and Detroit before retiring in 2015.
NFL statistics credit Houston with 99 games, 352 tackles, 13 interceptions and three interception-return touchdowns. He played college football at Arkansas.
Section reviewed
Early Life
Houston grew up in Austin, Texas.
Arkansas listed Houston as an Austin native when he signed with the Razorbacks in 2003.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
High School
Houston attended Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Austin, Texas.
Arkansas reported that he played both running back and cornerback in high school before moving exclusively to cornerback as a senior. He rushed for 426 yards and six touchdowns in his prep career.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
College Career
Houston was an All-SEC cornerback at Arkansas before leaving early for the 2007 NFL Draft.
Arkansas reported that he finished 2006 with 45 tackles, three interceptions, 13 pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He also earned honorable-mention All-America recognition from Pro Football Weekly.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
Path to the NFL
Atlanta selected Houston in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
He entered the draft after his All-SEC junior season at Arkansas. Houston became a full-time Falcons starter as a rookie and later moved to Detroit.
Section reviewed
NFL Career
Houston played three seasons with Atlanta and four with Detroit.
NFL statistics show that he appeared in all 16 games as a Falcons rookie and then played 15 games for Detroit in 2010. He last played for Detroit in 2013 before later signing with Carolina.
Section reviewed
Career Accomplishments
Houston's 2011 Detroit season included five interceptions, two interception-return touchdowns and 225 return yards.
Detroit's team statistics list Houston's five interceptions as the club's highest total that season. NFL career data confirms that 2011 was his career high in interceptions and interception-return yards.
Section reviewed
Playing Style
Houston was a productive cover corner who paired tackle volume with turnover creation.
Across his NFL career, he recorded 79 passes defensed and 13 interceptions. In 2011, he produced five interceptions and two scores for Detroit.
Section reviewed
Legacy
Houston's Arkansas success carried into a seven-season NFL career marked by consistent starts and takeaway production.
NFL reporting said he finished with 324 tackles and 13 interceptions in 91 career starts with Atlanta and Detroit. His five-interception Detroit season remains the statistical peak of his professional career.
Section reviewed
Post-Career
Houston retired from football in 2015 after an injury-affected final period in the NFL.
NFL reported that Houston did not play in 2014 because of a toe injury, signed with Carolina in 2015 and informed the Panthers that he was retiring.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
21603, 00-0025428, 1984-10-18, Chris Houston, Christopher, Houston
MFT PLAYER RANKINGS
Current player ranking
Compare current players by position using the transparent MFT statistical model.