NRG Stadium being renamed to a familiar name

NRG Stadium being renamed to a familiar name originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The home of the Houston Texans is getting a familiar name again. The Texans announced that NRG Stadium in Houston will be renamed back to its original title: Reliant Stadium.

For longtime Texans fans, the name carries serious nostalgia. When the stadium opened in 2002 alongside the launch of the expansion franchise, it was branded after the Houston-based energy company Reliant Energy. The venue carried the Reliant name for over a decade before the naming rights shifted in 2014 to NRG Energy, ushering in the current “NRG Stadium” era.

For many Texans supporters, “Reliant Stadium” still feels like the stadium’s true identity. The name is tied to several franchise milestones — from the team’s first-ever game in 2002 to early playoff runs that helped establish the franchise’s presence in the NFL.

Bringing the name back could be a strategic move aimed at reconnecting with longtime fans while leaning into Houston’s sports history.

If a naming-rights shift were finalized, it wouldn’t change much about the stadium itself. The venue would remain one of the NFL’s most recognizable buildings, famous for being the league’s first stadium with a retractable roof and for hosting major events like the Super Bowl LI.

Still, branding matters in professional sports. A return to Reliant Stadium will symbolize a full-circle moment for the franchise and the city. In Houston, “Reliant Stadium” isn’t just a brand — it’s a piece of Texans history.