The Houston Texans drafted Jadeveon Clowney to help win playoff games. The No. 1 overall pick stood on the sidelines during Saturday's blowout loss to the Chiefs.
Clowney played in just four games as a rookie and missed another four in 2015 -- including Saturday's playoff game due to a foot injury. Despite compiling just 4.5 sacks in his first two seasons, the frustrated pass rusher remains confident.
"I'm going to come back and dominate the league," he said, via the Houston Chronicle. "I know what I can do. I think I'm going to come back and dominate the league next year."
Prior to Saturday's tilt there was a fuss about Clowney leaving the stadium after being told he wasn't playing. The linebacker said Sunday that he left to give tickets to his mother and disputed he exited the facility because he was upset about being inactive.
"I knew I wasn't going to play," he said. "I didn't walk out on anybody. I was mad I wasn't out there. I didn't get frustrated because they didn't (activate me). I got frustrated because I couldn't play."
Clowney displayed promise when healthy this season. His run defense was much better than anticipated. If Clowney can get healthy for a full season -- a gargantuan if at this point -- the Texans' pass rush rotation with J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus could be otherworldly in 2016.
One big positive: For the first time in his NFL career, Clowney won't need to rehab a knee injury in the offseason.
"I think it will be real better. I'm just going to work on my craft a lot," Clowney said of this offseason. "Work on things I need to work on, and I think next year going to be a big, big season for me. Because I know I can dominate this league.
"I was very happy. Just to go through a whole season with no problems with my knee was a plus for me after hearing about the injury. I think it was a very big plus for me and (this) offseason I just need to work. Keep doing what I been doing and just work hard and come back and dominate the league."
