Tag Archives: Chester Pitts

NFL

Pitts, Chester (3)

Card: Score 2009 Inscriptions, Photo Memorabilia
Acquired:In Person, 10/26/14 GMC Monday Night Football Tour
See Also: Chester Pitts, Chester Pitts (2)

Chester Pitts for being such a mainstay and popular player on the original Texans had very few cards made of him. He was an added bonus to the GMC NFL event that was being held in Katy that day, and since they had stuff that he could sign, I had no problem picking up a freebee. Afterwards he was willing to pose for a photo with me. It was not a well advertised or Pitts and mesupported event as there were not that many fans there at all.  I went ahead and got his autograph on the additional Score 2009 Signatures card- which as a card baffled me because I would have thought that if it said ‘signatures’ on it- it should already have a certified autograph on it, but I digress.

After retiring from football Chester has remained busy as an ambassador, and frequent Texans commentator. He also was on 23rd The Amazing Race with former teammate and friend Ephraim Salaam.  While they did not fare well and were eliminated early on, they provided fans of the show plenty of laughs.  He’s also become a financial advisor,  has his own charitable foundation and in 2016, he was named an ‘Honor Warrior’ by his Alma Mater.

NFL

Pitts, Chester (2)


Acquired: In Person, 6/10/11, 610 Houston Fan Fest III
See Also: Chester Pitts

Chester Pitts is considered the first ironman of the Houston Texans and has garnered the nickname “Mr. Texan” from fans. Outside of former kicker Kris Brown, Pitts had logged the most games played in a row on the team roster with 114 games started. He saw the beginnings of the franchise, as one of the team’s second round draft choice in 2002 after David Carr and Jabar Gaffney.  He’d play through the team’s tenure under Dom Capers and Charlie Casserly, and into the current Kubiak era- a total of seven solid seasons, before 2 games into his 8th he suffered a catastrophic injury and spent the rest of 2009 on IR. As it was a contract year, the team allowed him to bolt via free agency to the Seattle Seahawks for 2010.  Chester started 5 games for the Seahawks, and made the playoffs for the first time in his career.

I slid over to Chester’s line at Fan Fest, after striking out on Danieal Manning, whose line was closing. I waited maybe two minutes before I was up front and talked to him a little bit. When I asked him if he was still with Seattle he told me that he was pretty much retired now. Pitts was looking noticeably slimmer and later admitted he had lost about 30 pounds off of his playing weight. He’s now working as a financial advisor and is an advocate for better fiscal responsibility by former NFL players.

I had a card for Chester, but he had already signed it. No other manufacturer other than Score ever made one of Chester in his tenure as a Texan. Probably a slight on him because he played on such horrible lines. Still he was a solid blocker for his time with the team and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves for his time with the Texans organization.

NFL

Pitts, Chester

Card: Score 2009
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz
See Also: Chester Pitts (2)

Chester Pitts was a 2nd round choice of the Houston Texans inaugural draft in 2002. He was one of 2 remaining ‘original’ Texans (Kris Brown being the other) remaining on the team roster as of 2009 and started 114 games in a row for the franchise first as a left tackle and then settling in at left guard. On a horrendous offensive line, Pitts provided key stability, consistency, and flexibility, in a variety of offensive systems playing for the Texans. Unfortunately in 2009 Pitts was playing in the final year of his contract. In the third game of the season he suffered a catastrophic knee injury and was unable to return to the lineup for the remainder of the season. The Texans took a wait and see approach to Pitts rehabilitation, but despite his efforts at rehabilitation, elected not to resign him where as he hit the free agent market and signed with the Seahawks before training camp in 2010. Pitts was the focus of a  Superbowl XLII commercial relating to how his career began which starred him and Ephraim Salaam, (who takes credit for ‘discovering’ Pitts bagging groceries at a local Ralph’s supermarket). Pitts is incredibly strong, and is a world class shotputter holding still many records at his alma matter San Diego State.  He is also an accomplished oboest.