Houston Texans’ TORO named 2021 NFL mascot of the year

Who says the Houston Texans can’t be first in anything in 2021?

The Texans announced Thursday that TORO, the team’s mascot, was named the 2021 NFL mascot of the year after the annual NFL mascot summit, wherein all 26 NFL mascots voted on the award to distinguish which mascot achieved the highest success overall.

Mascot of the year wasn’t the only award TORO collected as he took home the 2021 anchor in the community award.

The mascots had big ticket items to discuss during the virtual summit, such as reviewing the submissions for skit of the year, video of the year, stunt of the year, social media of the year, and blooper of the year.

According to the Texans, TORO was selected, “based on his ability to adapt and innovate during the 2020 season including a strong gameday presence, social media presence and community impact.”

The Texans also say that TORO was the mascot that came up with the idea of virtual classroom visits during the COVID lockdowns. TORO was able to visit 10,000 Houston area students through 200 virtual classrooms, and the tactic was picked up by the rest of the mascot community.

TORO will be celebrated during the Kids Day game against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 31. TORO will also get to wear a patch on his jersey all season commemorating the award.

The Texans’ mascot made his debut on April 23, 2001, and is known for high-flying stunts, hijinks, and creating “Homefield Advantage” inside NRG Stadium.

For more information on TORO, check him out on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.