Culture / Sporting Life

Tom Savage Honors His Young Wife as the Texans’ New QB Hope: The Ring Man Now Rules

BY // 12.19.16

Tom Savage does not just give Houston Texans fans real hope for the first time since September (we’re talking about the difference in hope between having the Death Star plans and not having them, here). Savage does not just make DeAndre Hopkins relevant again — to the relief of anyone who loves amazing wide receiver talents.

No, if he keeps this up, Savage may also make a late push for Husband of the Year honors.

For Savage is giving new definition to the phrase, “Putting a ring on it.” As he carved up the Jacksonville Jaguars defense, throwing for 260 yards and leading Houston on a 21-7 scoring blitz in less than three quarters of work on Sunday to steal back a win, the Texans’ new starting quarterback  wore his wedding ring.

And not the rubberized wedding bands that quarterbacks such as Andy Dalton, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Fitzpatrick have broken out in the last year or so to some fanfare. No, Savage wore his actual metal wedding ring while dropping dimes at NRG Stadium. That may be an NFL quarterback first.

“I always wear it,” Savage says at his locker after the game. The Texans QB pauses for a beat and quickly turns to Texans communications manager Brett Maikowski, “Am I going to get fined for that?”

Savage appears to be joking, but when Maikowski quickly assures him that the NFL does not fine for wedding rings, he breaks into a smile. In a league where jumping into a giant-sized Salvation Army kettle can create a major controversy, all no-fun limits seem possible.

And Savage does not have money to waste — not by NFL quarterback standards. The 26-year-old Savage makes a $600,000 base salary this season and is set to make $690,000 next season. This is no $72 Million Man.

Savage is a man who clearly loves his wife, though.

He and his wife Catherine (Catie for short) married in 2015 — and the honeymoon feelings still seem to be going on. Catherine is pregnant and a baby is due in January, a fact that Savage’s Twitter account confirms he is ecstatic about. He also tweets about the fact that his wife is “going to be an amazing mother.” You didn’t think I was serious about this Husband of the Year stuff? Savage wears his wedding ring on the field for Catherine Savage and their new family.

“My wife wants everybody to see it,” Savage says, flashing the slightest of grins.

The Texans’ new QB — who happens to be two years younger than Case Keenum, another quarterback option of the past better than Brock Osweiler, the $72 Million new No. 2 — has a deadpan way about him. With his scruffy good looks (about five days worth of beard’s growth seems to be Savage’s preferred look), it’s easy to imagine this well-traveled college QB turning into a Houston matinee idol.

As long as keeps making Hopkins look like DeAndre Hopkins again.

“Tom played very well,” says Texans owner Bob McNair, the man who cuts a big check for Osweiler and a relatively small one for Savage. “He got things going for us.”

Tom Savage and his wife Catherine are expecting a baby in January. @TomSavage03

Savage seems unfazed by the moment. He’s been through a lot in his still-young career — college stops at Rutgers, Arizona (though this one was ultra brief) and Pittsburgh, injuries and a scary infection in his throwing arm. He’s been doing this quarterback thing since he was 5-year-old, after all. He knows the drill.

One thing’s certain — as Tom Savage takes the field for a nationally-televised Christmas Eve spotlight game this Saturday night — he’ll be wearing his ring. That’s how the Texans’ new quarterback rolls.

Most NFL players (non-kicker and punter variety) do not wear wedding rings on the field for comfort and safety reasons. The rubberized substitute wedding rings mini trend that Andy Dalton (a Katy, Texas product) seems to deserve credit for starting addressed that. But Tom Savage is more traditional. He wears the real deal while he flings passes.

For the Texans’ new leader, it’s ring and win.

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