Which NFL team did UFC star Zac Pauga play for?

Zac Pauga is best known for mixed martial arts. But before he took to fighting, he was once an NFL player. He's 34 years old and holds a 5-1-0 MMA record. Pauga has the frightening nickname "The Ripper."

He falls in the heavyweight class and was involved in a very popular match recently with Mohammed Usman. Unfortunately for Pauga, the former NFL player was knocked out in the second round by Usman.

MOHAMMED USMAN WINS THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER WITH AUTHORITY 💥 #UFCVegas59 https://t.co/zI9thUfq6b

The fighter formerly played in the NFL for the Houston Texans. He was a running back and wore number 48. In college, however, Pauga was a tight end.

They say you’re not actually a fighter until you lose and fight again. Now is my time to prove I’m a real fighter. Congratulations Mohammed you were the better man tonight. I will get better.

He attended college for four years at Colorado State. Pauga recorded middling numbers:

11 catches for 102 yards in a season
19 catches for 114 yards in a season
25 catches for 219 yards and three touchdowns in a season
33 catches for 308 yards and one touchdown

He couldn't really catch on as an NFL back. He made the Houston Texans practice squad, but never played for them. Eventually, he transitioned into fighting. His first professional fight was a victory over Zac Cavender in July 2020.

The Houston Texans ahead of the 2022 NFL season

The Houston Texans are entering the 2022 NFL season without much fanfare. They finished 4-13 last year, narrowly surpassing the Jacksonville Jaguars for last place. They appear to be in full rebuild mode, and are not expected to make a push for the playoffs in the upcoming campaign.

They found a potential diamond in the rough with rookie quarterback Davis Mills last year. The Texans also have tons of assets from trading Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.

They're probably not expecting to achieve much this year, other than giving their youngsters a chance to develop. They have an offensive core of Davis Mills, Marlon Mack and Brandin Cooks. These aren't bad players, but they're probably not going to earn them a playoff spot.

It's wise for the Texans to continue to get better slowly. Football success rarely happens overnight and it's going to take some time to rebuild. The Texans have two first-round picks and 11 total picks in the 2023 draft. So there's plenty of time for them to continue stockpiling young talent to try and make a go of things.

That won't happen this year, though, so Texans fans ought to prepare themselves for a rough season. It looks like it could get worse before it gets better.