The Texans enter the offseason once again needing to find a new head coach, after they dismissed Lovie Smith last week. That move marked a second straight one-and-done year on the sidelines in Houston, and added to the tumult the organization has dealt with since the Bill O’Brien era came to an end. 
The latter was fired during the 2020 season, and replaced on an interim basis by Romeo Crennel. That led to an underwhelming stint with David Culley last year, and then the unorthodox process by which Smith was installed as head coach after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. Overall, the Texans have gone 11-38-1 over the past three years and have plenty of roster holes to fill as they continue their rebuild.
The team’s search for what they hope will be a long-term hire on the sidelines will take on a slightly different look this time. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 details how owner Cal McNair will use a more hands-on approach during the selection process, a departure from his stance in previous years which left general manager Nick Caserio at the forefront of Culley’s and Smith’s respective selections.
“Now we’re committed to getting this one right,” McNair said. “I have full confidence in Nick. He has led our football operations through a difficult stretch and continues to prove he is an elite talent evaluator. We talk constantly and have a plan for this process that we’ll execute together over the next days and weeks. For this hire, I’ll be taking on a more active role in the process.”
Caserio himself has also said the 2023 hiring process will be more comprehensive in terms of the personnel involved. He noted the organization’s intention of “implementing some different techniques and tactics” and receiving input from a larger number of voices in the building. That admission comes at a time when changes could be coming in the front office. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that “due diligence background and research” is ongoing regarding Texans personnel, though any moves will likely not threaten Caserio’s job security.
As for the HC vacancy, one factor to watch could be the latter’s background in New England. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that McNair would be “leery” of hiring a coach with Patriots ties, in light of Caserio’s experience with the team. That could hurt the candidacy of, for instance, Jerod Mayo and Brian Flores, and at least partially explain why neither of them have been connected to this year’s Texans vacancy.
In spite of the uncertainty surrounding Houston’s future, McNair remains optimistic. “We know the last two seasons have not been what we had hoped for, but we’re committed to building a program that’s successful long-term,” he said. “We’ve dealt with unprecedented circumstances over the last several years, but we’re excited about our future and where we’re headed.”
Set up to fail: “unprecedented circumstances.”
The Texans don’t come across as an appealing job. A poor GM built a poor roster and gets to hire and fire seasonly. Wow, let me sign up!
But like many others, I was laughing when Lovie went and got the 2pt conversation. That was a classic middle finger done on TV! Good for him to do that as well.
lol .. whatever. Not a middle finger. Just playing to win the game like you’re supposed to.
He knew he was getting canned. So he coughed up the 1st pick. To me, that was a middle finger move to the team. I agree, he had them playing hard all game long.
And he gave the top pick to his former team that he was at the longest.
Meh, 1st pick it 2nd pick likely 0 difference. The Bears have to trade out and the Texans as well a team picking behind the Texans could likely could take the two players they want (Anderson or Carter). I don’t see the Bears drafting a WB at 1 so your finger is really a popular parroting of the media remark for ratings bumps. In the last twenty years the #1 pick has only been traded 3 times and one of those was a forced trade (Manning).
He had them playing hard all season long. The result of the 17th game of the season had nothing to do with the prospect that he would lose his job. A job he never should have been given in the first place because he doesn’t deserve it. He knows as well as anyone where the Texans are talent wise. He knew when he took the job he was going to lose a bunch of games. It’s a nice paycheck so why not. That doesn’t change the fact that they play hard all season long and the idea that they intentionally won the last game of the season to throw a middle finger to the franchise that just paid him all that money to be the head coach for a year is ridiculous… In my opinion.
Yes, even the Chicago media was ecstatic when Smith went for 2 pts, they even said it was the finger pointed at the owner and Texan organization. He knew he was going to get fired, all these players are doing the same thing Smith did. Coach poorly with players only interested in getting their checks and doing nothing to earn it. Coach or play poorly and you get fired but the way contracts done today, you still get paid if you get fired for the time left on your contract. They all taking easy street out, why get up every day if you going to get paid whether you win or lose…
link to sportskeeda.com
“Now we’re committed to getting this one right,” McNair said. Now? Now! This will be the 3rd time in 3 years. Tommy Boy’s organization is the laughing stock of the NFL. Get someone in there who knows that he is doing and get out of the way.
The Texans are where people go to get paid. They don’t go there to win football games.
Based on Cal McNair’s successful navigation of the difficult relationship with DeShaun Watson, and keeping both Watson and the Texans out of the headlines, I’m sure McNair is just the man to find the right head coach and persuade him to coach the Texans.
/sarc
Good point, most of the clowns here would have traded Watson for .25 cents on the dollar.
McNair deliberately orchestrated the public downfall of Watson, right after Watson’s announcement he wouldn’t play again for the Texans.
You know the Texans were sued by the alleged victims as well right? The Texans had to pay a settlement for paying for the hotel rooms Watson got massages in. Unlikely, the Texans arranged to have themselves sued for facilitating the alleged sexual assaults by Watson.
What? Yeah right. That sounds right. Deshaun Watson had nothing to do with his own demise.
Sure he did. But so did Cal McNair.
right…you got the good good, might want to go easy on it
Settling hundreds of million dollars worth of law suits kept them out of headlines.
McNair was willing to do anything to destroy Watson after Watson stared him down and publicly humiliated him (the response to the McNair’s tweet asking Watson to come back and play football).
This is not to say the massage shenanigans didn’t happen and shouldn’t be punished. Just the organised release of allegations and their timing stinks to high heaven of a pre-arranged drop.
Who would want to work for an owner inclined to destroy the lives of his players?
Yeah right. Kept them out of the headlines. That’s why you know nothing about this and can’t comment on it.
Exactly… three HCs on the payroll and counting. Plus Easterby. Why not add a fourth HC?
Besides, Brian Gaines contract should be coming to an end soon.
His father dying makes him the most qualified person to evaluate and hire a football operations department for the Houston Texans.
That organization makes the Raiders/ Cardinals feel like a well oiled machine. Just another example of someone being born to the right family and no clue.
As a coach you get no job security when you coach the Texans. It’s a crap job
While I agree the Texans situation is particularly bad, in truth, NO coach has job security. Lots and lots of head and assistant coaches get fired shortly after signing extensions.
There are middle aged yinzers who have only known two head coaches in their lifetimes.
There are yinzers on Medicare who have only known 3.
They’re talking about firing the head coach of the Chargers. He just led his team to the playoffs.
I have to consult with my wife on all important decisions and it’s my understanding Cal McNair is in that same boat. I kinda feel good about that.
You people suck
Ive been a Houston fan thick or thin.
BILL TURNED THIS TEAM INTO CRAP.
The rhing the onwer did is sit and watch