Thanks to the Houston Texans, the Uvalde High School Coyotes will have new uniforms and equipment this season.
Texas coach Lovie Smith and linebackers Christian Kirksey and Kamu Grugier-Hill stun the team before Uvalde's first home football game since a shooter May 24 at Robb Elementary School, 2.4 miles from height, 19 students and two teachers had fired on the school. Smith, Kirksey and Grugier-Hill met players and coaches at a pregame dinner Thursday night before unveiling their gift.
The Uvalde High School football team tests out their new boots donated by the @HoustonTexans.
One of the Texans' athletics coaches, Roland Ramirez, is a native of Uvalde who also attended the same high school and encouraged the team to visit the high school for their first home game.
Uvalde senior linebacker Justyn Rendon was chosen to wear the number 21 jersey this season to honor the 21 victims of the horrific shooting. Rendon's younger brother was at Robb Elementary on the day of the shooting and survived. He defined football "as a therapy" and that practice helped everyone to "feel the comfort of the family we have".
Another "21" appeared in Uvalde's first game of the season when the team defeated Carrizo Springs 21-13.
Texans will remain linked to Uvalde in more ways than the donated uniforms. The team will also host a football clinic on Friday and wear "Uvalde Strong" decals on their helmets during the season opener of the Texas home game against the Indianapolis Colts on September 11.