Houston Texans running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate combined for 2,166 yards on the ground last season. But both are competing on a daily basis and pushing each other for more this season, reports Sam Khan of the Houston Chronicle.
"We're both competitors, so you're going to go out here and work every day to get better because every day you've got to get better," Tate said. "He don't want me gaining ground on him. I don't want him gaining ground on me. It's just always a competition. We're always working to get better."
Tate, a second-round pick in 2010, missed his rookie season with a broken ankle and was denied a first full NFL offseason by the lockout before running for 942 yards and four touchdowns in largely a reserve role in 15 games last season. Texans coach Gary Kubiak liked the progress Tate has made this offseason.
"It's so competitive because you've got a guy in Arian who has arrived as a pro and worked his tail off from being (an undrafted) free agent to becoming a Pro Bowl player and then yet he shows up every day. He has a young man (Tate) who wants to be a Pro Bowler there pushing him," Kubiak said on Tuesday. "They've been very impressive throughout the course of OTAs and Arian looks exceptional, but I think Ben may be one of the young guys who has probably made the most progress as a pro from last year to this year, so that's good for our team."
