Houston Astros rock football jerseys for start of NFL season

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Astros have proven they have arguably the loosest clubhouse in the Majors, with the viral dugout stare as exhibit A.

The defending World Series champs proved it again on Thursday before heading out to the airport for the start of a six-game road trip.

The team decided to show pride to the Houston Texans as the NFL kicks off the 2018 season this weekend.

Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. wore the replica jerseys of superstars DeAndre Hopkins, J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson, respectively.

Hopkins' No. 10 was a popular number among players, with Jake Marisnick and the Astros' own No. 10, Yuli Gurriel, rocking the jerseys.

A select few players rocked jerseys from other teams. Third base coach Gary Pettis, whose son, Dante Pettis, is a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, represented the Bay Area team's red and white. Tony Kemp and Alex Bregman also represented for Pettis' kid.

There was one Astro who elected not to wear a jersey from the NFL, choosing instead to represent a fictional football superstar.

Evan Gattis was spotted wearing the No. 9 of South Central Louisiana State University legend Bobby Boucher, who is the brainchild of Adam Sandler in the football movie "The Waterboy."

The jersey is authentic right down to the patch on the shoulder commemorating the Bourbon Bowl, the site of Bobby's climatic triumph in the film.

Earlier in the season, the Astros wore Houston Rockets gear to support their downtown neighbors when they competed in the Western Conference Finals.