*Player connections *
*Safety Kenny Vaccaro is a Brownwood, Texas native and played at the University of Texas for four years.
*Texans safety Ed Reed was born in St. Rose and prepped at Destrehan High School where he is in the school's Hall of Fame.
*Punter Thomas Morstead is a Houston native who attended Southern Methodist University.
*Texans cornerback Elbert Mack played for the Saints during the 2012 season.
*Guard Ben Grubbs and Reed played for the Baltimore Ravens and were teammates from 2007-11.
*Running back Darren Sproles and Houston linebacker Tim Dobbins were teammates in San Diego from 2006-10.
*Defensive end Jay Richardson and Houston punter Shane Lechler were teammates in Oakland.
*Quarterback Luke McCown and Texans fullback Greg Jones played for the Jaguars from 2009-11.
*Tackle Charles Brown and Houston linebacker Brian Cushing were teammates at USC.
*Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, center Chris Myers and Reed were teammates with Jonathan Vilma at Miami (Fla.).
*Tackle John Jenkins and Houston guard/center Ben Jones were teammates at Georgia.
*Tackle Bryce Harris and Texan fullback Tyler Clutts were teammates at Fresno State.
*Running back Mark Ingram and Houston cornerback Kareem Jackson and guardAntoine Caldwell were teammates at Alabama.
*Tight end Jimmy Graham, Texans cornerback Brandon Harris, center Tyler Horn and linebacker Darryl Sharpton were teammates at Miami (Fla.).
*Center Eric Olsen and Houston tackle Ryan Harris were teammates at Notre Dame.
*Defensive end Cameron Jordan and Texans defensive end Keith Browner and linebacker Mike Mohamed were teammates at California.
*Tackle Marcel Jones was a teammate of Texans defensive end Jared Crick at Nebraska.
*Linebacker Martez Wilson and Houston linebacker Whitney Mercilus were in the same linebacker corps at Illinois.
Coaching connections
*Texans defensive backs coach Vance Joseph is a native of Marrero.
*Perry Carter, Texans assistant defensive backs coach, is a McComb, Miss., native and played at Southern Mississippi from 1990-93.
*Texans director of player personnel Brian Gardner is a New Orleans native who played at Nicholls State.
*Texans special teams coordinator Joe Marciano coached special teams and tight ends for the Saints from 1986-95. Marciano also coached Saints director of player development Fred McAfee in New Orleans from 1991-93 and in Tampa Bay in 1999.!
*Saints defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Young played for the Texans assistant head coach/defensive coachBill Kollar in St. Louis from 2001-03.
*Joe Vitt, Saints assistant head coach/linebackers, Kollar and Texans offensive line coach John Benton all coached for the Rams from 2004-05.
*Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was the defensive coordinator of the Saints from 1981-85 and served as head coach for the final four games of the 1985 season.
*Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and Phillips served on the same coaching staff with the Chargers from 2004-05.
*Bill Johnson, Saints defensive line coach, and Phillips served on the same coaching staff in Atlanta from 2002-03.
*Johnson and Texans offensive line coachJim Ryan were both on the defensive coaching staff in Denver from 2007-08.
*Texans director of player development Sean Washington played defensive back for the Saints in 1994.
