Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien denied reports that team officials and staff were growing frustrated with rookie linebacker Jadeveon Clowney.

Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, was inactive with an illness for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, missing his seventh game this season.

Clowney missed six games recovering from a torn meniscus that he suffered during the Texans’ season opener against the Washington Redskins before returning in Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans.

O’Brien had to spend time during Sunday’s post-game press conference addressing Clowney.

“I don’t know anything about those reports, I just know what I see,” O’Brien said after the 31-21 loss to the Eagles. “I see a rookie player that is injured and is trying to come back from injury and he had a little setback this week with the flu and hopefully he’ll be back ready for Cleveland.

“He’s had a couple injuries here and a concussion, some of that is bad luck. He got knocked in the head in the Denver training camp, he got a sports hernia injury, he’s got a knee (issue), that’s what I think it is.

“I think the world of Jadeveon Clowney. I don’t think there’s anyone here that’s frustrated with (him).”

Nick Wright of Sports Radio 610 in Houston spotted an Instagram photo of a woman that Clowney appears to have “liked” while watching Sunday’s game from the sidelines.

“I’ll have to see that,” O’Brien said. “I don’t know that yet. You know, injured players during the game depends on who they are. Brian Cushing, because of his years of experience, we had him on the sideline today, but rookies basically, they have the choice of going to the press box or staying in the locker room, so that’s where it’s at there, but we’ll have to see what that is. You know, I don’t know anything about that.”

Clowney has appeared in two regular-season games. He recorded one tackle, a stop for a loss, against the Redskins. Against the Titans, he had one tackle in 32 defensive snaps.

O’Brien was asked prior to the Philadelphia game if Clowney’s absence from the field for another week was frustrating.

“No it’s not frustrating at all,” O’Brien said. “Nope, not one bit. It’s the National Football League.”