Laremy Tunsil is a three-time Pro Bowl left tackle considered to be one of the preeminent players at his position.
He's also his own chief executive officer and just worked out a three-year, $75 million contract with the Houston Texans to make him the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL on an annual basis.
For Tunsil, being able to get a historic deal done was a surefire indication that doing things his own way was the right way. It's also, in his belief, a step forward for a Texans franchise he's confident will turn its fortunes around in short order.
"I always wanted to be the CEO of my business team," Tunsil said Wednesday, via team transcript. "I always wanted to be the guy that leads my team. So, I hired the team, which includes Saint Omni, Laolu Sanni and Alexandra (Meaza). I wanted to do something that has never happened before. Making history for the second time in a row. Nobody has ever done that besides me. I always wanted to be the leader to start something new, and that's what I did.
"I'm just showing other players that it's possible. That it's possible to get done. You can also become a CEO of your business team and get it done."
While Tunsil's ability to work out a groundbreaking deal is leading by example for players throughout the NFL, the 29-year-old likewise sees himself as a leader within the Houston locker room.
"I view myself as the X-factor for this entire team and a mentor," Tunsil said. "For the young guys like Jalen Pitre, Dameon Pierce and Kenyon Green, I view myself as a mentor. Like a captain, a captain-role. I want to help those guys in any way that I can. Whenever they need me, they can hit me up. If they've got any questions, they can hit me up. I'm here for those guys. I'm here for this team. I'm here to contribute to the team and help them to win games also."
A first-round draft selection of the Miami Dolphins in the 2016 NFL Draft, Tunsil found his way to Houston via trade. However, he's made himself a centerpiece of the club and one of its only highlights during some hard times -- times he sees changing soon.
With rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans now in the fold and a wealth of young talent having been sprung from the 2022 NFL Draft, Tunsil is ready for the club to move on from the doldrums of having won just a combined 11 games over the past three seasons.
"My biggest thing with staying with the Houston Texans was I believe this organization is going to turn it around quickly, actually," he said. "This organization is on a rise, especially getting a guy like DeMeco Ryans in this building. He's a young, energy guy, younger coach, and he was actually a player here too. So getting a guy like that coming into the building means a lot. We're trying to get things turned around."
Tunsil is all about the "we" in terms of a hopeful turnabout ahead. But when it comes to his lucrative new contract, that was a clear emblem of what he's been able to accomplish in an impressive seven-season career so far.
"I did it my way, like Frank (Sinatra)," Tunsil told KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson. "I check all the boxes. That's my biggest thing, staying consistent. I'm a businessman, be consistent with that. I'm a football player, be consistent with that."
