Young Fan's School Absence Pays Off as Texans Make History in Pittsburgh
When 11-year-old Easton Rodriguez and his family ditched school to attend the Houston Texans' wild card game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, they had no idea their decision would go viral. The young fan had created a cheeky poster declaring that he missed two days of school for the big event, which read: "Missed school for my first playoff game."
Easton's family made sure to miss a total of three school days - Monday and Tuesday for Easton, and another day for his cousin Sarah Lopez. But it was totally worth it for Easton, who exclaimed, "I missed school for my first playoff game... I lost my voice... The few of us that were there, we were just trying to make a statement."
Their enthusiasm did not go unnoticed. Photos of the family's team spirit spread like wildfire across social media, including the Texans' official Facebook page, where they posted about the Rodriguezes without mentioning their absences.
The Texans ultimately won the game, advancing to the AFC Divisional Round against the New England Patriots in Foxborough. Easton and his family were over the moon as Sarah told our newspaper, "During the game... My mom said something's happening because my watch was going off... And she got the message that, hey, the Texans posted us, you know, we went viral."
Easton even got to meet his favorite player, Derek Stingley Jr., and received a signed jersey as a souvenir. When he saw it, Easton yelled to his mom, "Mom, I got a signed Stingley jersey! I almost lost my voice at first because I was like, 'Mom, I got a signed Stingley jersey!'".
When Easton returned to school this week, he found that his classmates were eager to meet the "famous" 11-year-old. His teacher asked him for an autograph, and Easton happily obliged.
For Sarah, who has been a season ticket holder for ten years, missing school was worth it too. She plans to take her older son, a high school sophomore, to watch the Texans play in Foxborough this Sunday, marking another memorable adventure for the family.
When 11-year-old Easton Rodriguez and his family ditched school to attend the Houston Texans' wild card game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, they had no idea their decision would go viral. The young fan had created a cheeky poster declaring that he missed two days of school for the big event, which read: "Missed school for my first playoff game."
Easton's family made sure to miss a total of three school days - Monday and Tuesday for Easton, and another day for his cousin Sarah Lopez. But it was totally worth it for Easton, who exclaimed, "I missed school for my first playoff game... I lost my voice... The few of us that were there, we were just trying to make a statement."
Their enthusiasm did not go unnoticed. Photos of the family's team spirit spread like wildfire across social media, including the Texans' official Facebook page, where they posted about the Rodriguezes without mentioning their absences.
The Texans ultimately won the game, advancing to the AFC Divisional Round against the New England Patriots in Foxborough. Easton and his family were over the moon as Sarah told our newspaper, "During the game... My mom said something's happening because my watch was going off... And she got the message that, hey, the Texans posted us, you know, we went viral."
Easton even got to meet his favorite player, Derek Stingley Jr., and received a signed jersey as a souvenir. When he saw it, Easton yelled to his mom, "Mom, I got a signed Stingley jersey! I almost lost my voice at first because I was like, 'Mom, I got a signed Stingley jersey!'".
When Easton returned to school this week, he found that his classmates were eager to meet the "famous" 11-year-old. His teacher asked him for an autograph, and Easton happily obliged.
For Sarah, who has been a season ticket holder for ten years, missing school was worth it too. She plans to take her older son, a high school sophomore, to watch the Texans play in Foxborough this Sunday, marking another memorable adventure for the family.
That's some serious absences right there. And now everyone in his class is asking him for an autograph? It's just a bit much if you ask me... 
! I mean, who needs textbooks when you're gonna be watching a playoff game with your favorite team 
? The pics of them all dressed up in Texans gear are hilarious 
. And awww, it's so sweet that Easton got to meet Derek Stingley Jr. and get his jersey 
. I'm definitely adding this story to my bookmark collection 
!
I'm also loving the fact that his family made school a priority (after the big game, obvi) - good on them for keeping things in perspective 
. And Sarah's been a season ticket holder for 10 years? That's dedication! I'm sure her younger son is gonna have some epic experiences too 
. And omg, can you even imagine being 11 and getting to meet your fave player? That's like, the ultimate experience 
! Easton's family totally made some awesome memories, and it's great that they got to share them with all of us on social media 
.
. It's like the Texans are using them to promote their team... is that cool or is that just them taking advantage of a kid's enthusiasm? 
And what about school attendance laws? Are they being enforced in Texas or are kids really just getting away with this kinda thing all the time? 
I get it, it's a big event and they wanted to be there, but the drama around their attendance might've made for an awkward classroom environment 
.
And kudos to Sarah for being a season ticket holder – she's already planning another adventure with her older son? That's dedication 
. Missing three days of school for a playoff game is a big deal, especially when it pays off with a signed jersey from his fave player 
. Easton and his fam definitely made the most of their adventure 
. It's cool that they got to meet Derek Stingley Jr. - that's a once-in-a-lifetime moment 
.
! easton and his fam totally earned their absences - who needs algebra when you can watch nfl? 
anyhoo, hope they enjoy the rest of the playoffs! 
I'm surprised the Texans didn't mention Easton's absences, but it's probably good for them to just keep the focus on the game. 
i feel like i would've been just as hyped if i was 11 and got to meet my fave player too 
they went to this wild card game and didnt even think about school lol i guess u gotta make some sacrifices for ur passion 
