Matt Schaub Speaks: An Interview with the Houston Texans' Starting QB

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

The congestion of bodies is absolutely punishing. You look to your left and right, hoping to dash for a clear passage through to the other side, but it's not promising.

After inching for what feels like forever, a crevice to maneuver through finally opens. If you pick up enough speed, you can hit the opening before the big guy coming from the other direction forces you off course.

Sweat drips into your eyes and your breathing is heavy. The crowd is shifting even closer, everyone astutely aware of the opportunity as the opening ahead becomes even narrower.

Drenched in your own perspiration and overwhelmed by the stifling conditions, you collapse. Defeated.

Yet, this is not an attempt to create the atmosphere of a torturous football game. Not in the slightest. In New York City, that's called riding the train in July and August.

But the perils of such conditions are very real. And such hazards are exactly what inspired Matt Schaub, the NFL, and Gatorade to launch the "Beat the Heat" campaign this summer.

Speaking with passion and unquestionable enthusiasm on the topic, Schaub detailed the importance of staying hydrated on the field.

And understandably so. Taking measures to prevent against heat exhaustion has been a chief concern in the NFL since the untimely passing of Minnesota Vikings' lineman Korey Stringer in 2001.

Taking a moment to discuss his efforts with Gatorade, the sixth-year quarterback out of Virginia shares his preparations for the upcoming season, thoughts on Mike Vick, and handling the extremely competitive rivalries in the AFC South.

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