Ryan Mallett release vetoed by Texans general manager

Ryan Mallett nearly cost himself a spot on the Houston Texans‘ roster for missing a flight and blaming traffic.

Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett put himself in hot water last weekend since he missed the Texans’ team flight to Miami. Mallett was forced to take a separate commercial flight on Saturday. The Texans subsequently lost, 44-26, in a blowout against the Miami Dolphins.

Texans head coach Bill O’Brien was understandably furious with the Texans backup quarterback, but Mallett claimed that he was stuck in traffic on the way to the airport. O’Brien was so angry that he tried to cut Mallett from the Texans, but Sports Illustrated reports that Texans general manager Rick Smith overruled his attempt to release Mallett.

Mallett has lost any chance he had of winning back the Texans’ starting quarterback job. He had previously lost the job to Brian Hoyer, and Hoyer has since maintained a stranglehold on it by outplaying Mallett. Despite Mallett being able to dress for the Dolphins loss, it is being assumed that the Texans will fine him for his missed flight.

The Texans quarterback has been criticized for having an attitude problem since his college career. This appears to be a real and perpetual issue that the Texans will have to continue handling, thanks to Smith’s refusal to let O’Brien cut him. Mallett already raised red flags before he was even drafted since he admitted to recreational drug use, and he had previously been arrested for public intoxication.

The Texans have problems beyond that though. O’Brien is facing the hot seat for his team’s abysmal record and his refusal to draft a quarterback early in the 2014 draft despite available options such as Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr.