A Texans rival talks about videos exposing team at Training Camp

Summary

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Payne & Pendergast: "A Texans Rival Talks About Videos Exposing Team at Training Camp"

Date: August 10, 2026
Hosts: Seth Payne, Sean Pendergast
Theme: Team Secrecy vs. Fan Access at Texans Training Camp

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the Houston Texans’ new "Protect the Team" policy restricting fan filming of 11-on-11 periods during training camp. Payne & Pendergast debate the impact of training camp video leaks, discuss the rationale from both a coaching and player perspective, and compare the Texans’ approach to other NFL teams—particularly the Dallas Cowboys. The discussion offers insight into how seemingly minor details can influence competitive advantage in the league, while also checking in on key Texans training camp position battles and player developments.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Texans' New Training Camp Video Policy

[00:31–01:42]

• Sean Pendergast introduces the Texans’ new stance: When the team is in 11-on-11 scrimmages, fans are asked not to film or post content online.

• D'Amico Ryans (Head Coach) offers the rationale:

  • Quote:

    "It's important to protect the team, not just videos, but for us, how we operate as a team. ... If you're a true Texans fan and you want to see the Texans succeed, you wouldn't showcase our plays to teams who don't know what we're running."
    — D'Amico Ryans, [01:05]

• The policy aims to prevent opposing teams from scouting Texans’ new plays and schemes.

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2. Real-World Impacts of Leaked Footage

[01:46–02:55]

• Seth Payne recalls Jimmy Johnson (former Cowboys coach) using televised B-roll to preempt a surprise play by the Bills in the Super Bowl.

• Quote:

  "All it takes is one... a Bill's intern or a Bill's quality control guy, to peruse all of these. These clips and see what they're running and what it looks like they might be doing."
  — Seth Payne, [02:11]

• Texans are innovating on offense this year; leaks, even by accident, could spoil those changes.

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3. Contrast: Cowboys' Openness with Practices

[02:55–03:49]

• The Dallas Cowboys take a notably opposite approach with far more openness, influenced by owner Jerry Jones’s preference for publicity over secrecy.
• Cowboys’ new DC Christian Parker, in a weekend interview, revealed that other teams regularly study Dallas’ leaked footage.
• Quote:

  "He said in all of those places [Green Bay, Denver, Philly], we took stuff that we saw the Cowboys do online. And we incorporated things that we saw, at least early in the season."
  — Sean Pendergast, [03:20]

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4. Coaches’ Perspective on Leaks & Adjustments

[03:49–04:28]

• Christian Parker describes how every stone is turned over by coaching staffs, whether the content comes from fans, teams, or even players.

  • Quote:

    "There have been some things I found along the way... might have been posted by the team or might have been posted by a fan or might have been posted by a player. ... You want to kind of turn over all those stones and see what you can find."
    — Christian Parker, [04:00]

• Despite the risk, he acknowledges not letting it change coaching day-to-day: "They know what we’re doing and we just gotta do it better." ([04:15])

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5. Is This Happening League-Wide?

[06:00–07:24]

• Pendergast raises the question: How common is this policy?
  • No hard data is available, but Seth notes “more teams have started doing in the last couple [years].”
• The fanbase is split—with vocal minorities objecting to restrictions, and most not deeply bothered.
• Quote:

  "It's probably a pretty small minority of the fans that are really vocal about not liking it. ... Especially the people that put the content out, I get it… But I also get it and understand why they don't want to do it."
  — Seth Payne, [07:05]

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6. Texans Training Camp Battles & Player Updates

[07:51–09:06]

• Tank Dell Watch: Ongoing scrutiny of WR Tank Dell’s performance.

• Braden Smith vs. Trent Brown: Heavy competition for right tackle, intensified by the addition of Jadeveon Clowney and Daniil Hunter.

• Brevin Jordan vs. Cade Stover: At tight end, Jordan’s been "falling behind" due to injury ([08:20]).

• Clowney’s Progress: Notable that Clowney is learning new techniques from Daniil Hunter.

  • Quote:

    "He did a move that I hadn't really seen out of him before ... Clowney’s been asking Daniil about certain things, things he can pick up. ... It's almost like going to train with Bruce Lee..."
    — Seth Payne, [09:06]

• Player Age Factoid: Clowney, older than Daniil Hunter, is still learning and evolving his game ([09:38–09:50]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If you're a true Texans fan and you want to see the Texans succeed, you wouldn't showcase our plays to teams who don't know what we're running."
  — D'Amico Ryans, [01:05]
• "All it takes is one… to peruse all of these clips and see what they're running…"
  — Seth Payne, [02:11]
• "We took stuff that we saw the Cowboys do online… incorporated things that we saw."
  — Sean Pendergast, [03:20]
• "There have been some things I found along the way... turn over all those stones and see what you can find."
  — Christian Parker, [04:00]
• "It's probably a pretty small minority of the fans that are really vocal about not liking it..."
  — Seth Payne, [07:05]
• "It's almost like going to train with Bruce Lee…"
  — Seth Payne, [09:06]

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Segment Timestamps

• Intro & Training Camp Policy: [00:31–01:42]
• Why Secrecy Matters: [01:46–02:55]
• Cowboys’ Approach & League Comparison: [02:55–03:49]
• Coach Insight (Christian Parker): [03:49–04:28]
• Broader Trends in the NFL: [06:00–07:24]
• Texans Camp Updates & Position Battles: [07:51–09:50]

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains Payne & Pendergast’s signature mix of sharp analysis, humor, and relatable Houston sports banter. Both hosts approach the new Texans policy with understanding, balancing the team’s need for secrecy with a fan’s desire for access. The discussion is grounded in NFL realities, enlivened with anecdotes and competitive insight.

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Conclusion:
If you want a behind-the-scenes look at how NFL teams guard their secrets in the age of smartphones—and how those choices might sway the Texans’ fortunes—you'll find this episode insightful, timely, and candid.

Transcript

[A]

I'm Ana Garcia, host of True Crime News, the podcast. Every week we bring you in depth coverage on cases making headlines as well as those that go under the radar. Tune in for murders that defy explanation, mystery seeking exploration and shocking secrets that will leave you breathless. Each week we honor the victims by going beyond the salacious in our search for justice. Crime never stops. And neither do we. Listen to True Crime News, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[B]

Is it one of the things that's kind of new and kind of a big deal out here? Texans training camp with fans out here. And fans are going to be out here again today. Then I think there's one more fan practice. It's next Tuesday, the joint practice with the Raiders. That'll be when Cal McNair is cooking out out in the parking lot. But is the theme is protect the team. And what that means is when the team is in 11 on 11 periods, they're asking all the fans to put their phones away, not film anything and post things on the Internet. Here was d' Amico Ryan's on the thought process behind that.

[C]

It's important to protect the team, not just videos, but for us, how we operate as a team. My main message is always is about the team first. So when it comes to the videos and things that are posted, we know everyone who has a phone is media. Right. And we don't, we don't want our plays getting out so other teams can study what we're doing here in training camp. That's just obvious. A lot of teams do this around the league. So it's all about the team. So if you're a true Texans fan and you want to see the Texans succeed, you wouldn't showcase our plays to teams who don't know what we're running.

[B]

Do you, do you think it's a big deal to keep that stuff up?

[D]

I think it's, I think it's a good policy just because, I mean, we told the story last week. The most infamous example of this was Jimmy Johnson who was sitting in his hotel room watching television before they were going to play the Bills in the Super Bowl. And there was like B roll footage behind the on the sports broadcast of the Bills at a walkthrough running a shovel pass that they hadn't run all season long. So lo and behold, Jimmy Johnson prepares for this shovel already shut it down in the Super Bowl. Yeah. And it's. That sounds, that might sound like an extreme example or whatnot. But I think, look, look, the Texans are doing some things offensively this year that are a little bit different than they've done in the last couple years. And I think that there's. I think that that's the kind of thing that if a Bill's. All it takes is one. Like, it's not like a deep dive investigation to have an intern peruse Texan social media, like a Bill's intern or a Bill's quality control guy, to peruse all of these. These clips and see what they're running and what it looks like they might be doing it. Like, oh, here's a. Like I just. For whatever. Whether it's an RPO or something else that any team might be doing that we haven't seen out of them before.

[B]

Okay. It's funny you should say that. Christian Parker is the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah, he's got an uphill climb this year. That was not a good defense last year. He was on 153the fan over the weekend. Now the Cowboys are a team. Go figure. That are the opposite of what the Texans are.

[D]

Right. Because the complaint from Cowboys players and coaches has always been that Jerry Jones does not give a damn if it hurts the. The football side of things, if it's going to get more publicity.

[B]

Yep, that's exactly right. So Christian Parker, who. Who in this interview had said kind of what you said, Seth, like he was a quality control guy. Even just through the course of just getting information on other teams, you get these videos that pop up. He said that he coached in Green Bay, Denver and Philly. And he said in all of those places, we took stuff that we saw the Cowboys do.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Online. And we incorporated, you know, at least early in the season, incorporated things that we saw.

[E]

Everybody's gonna stream a practice, whatever. Whatever. But then sometimes you can find some things. You know, I won't tell all the stories, but there have been some things I found along the way, either when I was a QC or as a position coach that, you know, might have been posted by the team or might have been posted by a fan or might have been posted by a player. You know, you never know, but you just want to, you know, kind of turn over all those stones and see what you can find.

[B]

Does it affect how you coach out here?

[D]

What you show?

[E]

No, we can't afford to let that affect it. You know, we still got a job to do and, you know, they know what we're doing and we just got to do it better. You know what I mean? But you definitely have awareness to it. But no, that can't affect what we do in terms of being ready for the season.

[D]

Yeah. So it's one of those things where I think the classic knee jerk response by a lot of people is like, oh, that's why you're going to lose a game in October. And the answer whenever anybody says that is like, well, we don't know. Maybe not. Maybe it does. You never know what little nugget of information might be the thing that now at McDonald's everyone can get more of what they want when they want it. With McVowey, you can choose your wake up call, you can choose your study meal or even your drive through dinner.

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[D]

That ends up being a critical factor. So you try to eliminate as many nuggets as possible.

[B]

Yes.

[D]

So it's a matter of policy and no, you're not going to. It's like any, any measure you ever take to protect information or property and everything, it's never going to be 100%. But you can, you can increase your odds or improve your odds by, by doing it. And if the Texans were the first team to do this, I would wholeheartedly say, okay, I get it people. The. The Texans are being like more killjoy than other organizations, but I think other teams are doing and it's not as good.

[B]

Do we know?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm asking. I know you don't know the answer to this. I'm just rhetorically, I'm like, do we know? Is it a majority of the teams? Is it.

[D]

No. Is it something.

[B]

Is it something the teams more teams have started doing in the last couple. This is the first year the Texans have done it.

[D]

I did a cursory search and couldn't find any hard and fast numbers on it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I don't. I didn't A cursory search.

[B]

Yeah, no, I saw. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm just curious, like, you know, when d' Ameco says other teams are doing this, is it two other teams?

[D]

I know from the last couple off seasons, I've just noticed at times various fan bases commenting on this.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

I do think it's a classic thing where it's probably a pretty small minority of the fans that are really vocal about not liking it. And the, you know, for people that. Especially the people that put the content out, I get it because it's like. Yeah, it's really. I liked using the. Like we're not allowed to film a lot of the stuff that the fans were allowed to film.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I liked that.

[D]

I had access to that.

[B]

That's right.

[D]

But I also get it and understand why. Why they don't want to do it. It's kind of like with. With callers to sports radio. Like, it's a. Like there's study after study after study that shows the vast majority of people really don't like callers. But the people who call, they do not like when you don't take calls. And they think it's the greatest crime ever committed in human history and they will be very vocal about it.

[B]

Good analogy. It's a good analogy. All right, what are we looking for out here today? Old Seth C. Pain.

[D]

I. Well, for one, will be on Tank Dell Watch.

[E]

Yep.

[D]

I intrigued by the battle between Braden Smith and Trent Brown at right time.

[B]

That's been a good one.

[D]

Yeah. And the other thing I would. Oh, Jaylen Noel. Jalen Noel.

[B]

Well, yeah. Jalen Noel. Does he get more stuff? I would say, too. Is Brevin Jordan back? Because that's a battle too, that, you know, I've been talking about that tight end. I think either Cade Stover coming into camp. I said either Cate Stover or Brevin Jordan's not making this team. Brevin Jordan's fallen behind the last couple of days.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Dealing with whatever he's, you know, whatever he's got an injury or whatever.

[D]

The fun thing with the battle between Braden Smith and Trent Brown has been is that with the addition of Clowney to the mix.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[D]

Those guys aren't getting a break when they were the two. It's not like you can go down and look really, really good versus the backups. Now all of a sudden it's like, well, I, you know, yesterday I had to take on. Had to take on Daniil a bunch. But don't worry about it. Today I've got. Oh, crap.

[B]

Clowneys look good.

[C]

I.

[B]

That's the other one. I would say the people I get asked about the most by if I'm out and about. C.J. stroud, Tank Dell, and now with Clowney here, Clowney's, I would say, number three on the list.

[D]

Yeah. No, and Clowney is. And I saw this the first reps that he took in team, period. He. He. He did a move that I hadn't really seen out of him before, and I'd never noticed out of him before. And then, lo and behold, Clowney and Daniil both talked about how, you know, Clowney's been asking Daniil about certain things, things he can pick up. Yeah, people love talking to Daniil because he's. He's the ultimate technician. And it's almost like going to train with Bruce Lee or something. You're hoping he teaches you some magical six inch punch that would destroy all things.

[B]

I thought that was cool, hearing that story from Daniil about Clowney asking him about stuff. Clowney's older than Daniil Hunter. People may not realize that.

[D]

Is he like one year?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think back, yeah, Daniil's 31. I think Clowney's 33.

[D]

Daniil's kind of like Aziz in that they kind of. They've got old souls. If you were just. If you didn't know him and then never watched him and you're just talking to him in an interview over the phone or something, you might think they were 45 years old.

[B]

And Daniil was 20 when he came into the league, too. He was a young.

[D]

He came in a younger guy was young too.

[B]

Yep.

[D]

All right.

[B]

Pain and pender gas with you here on a Monday. Seth, antibodies to you.

[D]

Oh, antibodies and some bear pastrami to you.

[B]

John Harris and Mark Vandermeer are up next. We'll see all of y' all tomorrow at 6.

[F]

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[A]

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