Brian Cushing attempted to land elsewhere as a player last season, but following his Texans release, the veteran linebacker did not play in 2018. He may be ready to call it quits and transition to coaching.
The nine-year Texans veteran accepted a position on Houston’s staff, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter). Cushing, 32, will be involved with the Texans’ strength and conditioning staff while helping on defense as well.
Houston cut ties with Cushing early during the 2018 offseason, transitioning to Zach Cunningham playing alongside Benardrick McKinney.
A first-round pick in 2009, Cushing won defensive rookie of the year honors and made the Pro Bowl that year. He earned a Texans extension, but the former USC standout’s career also included two performance-enhancing drug suspensions — the second of which a 10-game ban in 2017.
He remains the franchise’s all-time tackles leader with 674 stops.
Funny position to hire him for considering his past history…
Yeah, great guy to be the strength and conditioning coach
How did this guy not have a job last year?
2 PED suspensions and his age would be a pretty good guess if you have half a brain?
Guess Scott Steiner was to busy
Putting money on the Texans to win it all next year. Either that or half the team will have 4 game PED suspensions.
Watching him bully rookies on Hard Knocks was entertaining.
Do coaches get tested?
The substance abuse policy does apply to coaches, I believe, but I don’t know if it involves testing. In 2007, Wade Wilson – who just passed away, RIP – was suspended for purchasing a banned substance to, he claimed, treat his Type-2 diabetes, which he developed way back in his early 20’s. Goddell disputed what Wilson was using the substance for, but a lifetime ban was avoided because there was no evidence that he was distributing it. Wilson was exposed not due to testing, though, but because he was found to be a customer of an internet pharmacy the feds were investigating.