The Texans will “evaluate the future” of head coach Lovie Smith at the end of the 2022 campaign, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. As we heard last month, there appears to be a real chance that Houston will be conducting an HC search for the third consecutive year.
Given the team’s 2-12-1 record, that should not come as much of a surprise. Still, it’s not as if Houston came into the season with championship aspirations, and it would be difficult to imagine any head coach doing much better with a roster that is generally lacking in impact talent, including at the quarterback position. And after making David Culley a one-and-done HC at the end of the 2021 season, the team would be eating a great deal of dead money for departed coaches if it were to move on from Smith now.
Smith, 64, is in the midst of his third stint as an NFL head coach. He operated as the Bears’ HC from 2004-12, a run that included a Super Bowl appearance, and he also served as the Bucs’ HC from 2014-15. Following his tenure in Tampa, he returned to the collegiate ranks as the University of Illinois’ head coach from 2016-20, and he was a part of Culley’s first (and only) staff last year, when he agreed to become the Texans’ associate head coach and defensive coordinator.
After Culley was fired, it appeared that the Texans had narrowed their search for his successor to Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, and recently-retired quarterback Josh McCown. Smith emerged seemingly out of nowhere to become Houston’s choice to replace Culley, and while GM Nick Caserio predictably denied as much, one wonders if Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL played a role in the team’s decision to go in a different direction.
If Smith is fired, Gannon could again find himself on Houston’s shortlist. McCown, meanwhile, has no NFL or college coaching experience of any kind, but he has now interviewed twice for the Texans’ HC post, and multiple other clubs have reached out to him to discuss a coaching position. Caserio could well consider him again in the event the club parts ways with Smith, but Caserio himself may not be around to spearhead another coaching search.
If the Texans elect to retain Smith, Rapoport and Pelissero indicate that other staffing changes could be on the horizon. Houston presently employs Pep Hamilton as its offensive coordinator and Frank Ross as its special teams coordinator. The team does not have a defensive coordinator, with the defensive-minded Smith holding those duties and calling defensive plays.
The NFL.com duo says the Texans will consider Smith’s entire body of work when making their decision, including the club’s recent stretch of improved play that features narrow losses to the playoff-bound Cowboys and Chiefs and a victory over the Titans.
3 years in a row looking for a coach…hmmm…maybe it’s the players on the field that is the problem? Also, keep changing coaches just makes it that much harder on the already bad players.
should’ve just went with Josh McKown to begin with
Does the Rooney rule even permit this sort of chicanery? To dismiss a Black coach? Is this blasphemy? Will goodell get involved? Should we contact the SLPC?
Couldn’t even spell your dumb joke right.
SLPC-A?
Joke?
I’m still waiting on a Jason Seahorn rule where a team must bring in at least one white DB for a tryout before signing a non white DB to the roster.
Of course bonus draft picks will be allocated to team who roster white DBs as well as additional draft picks for those who hire or lose non white DBs.
See how wildly ridiculous these rules sound when we reverse them?
Imagine a white DB, games would be higher scoring for a fact (I’m white btw)
Jason Sehorn was good enough to play.
Love him on letterman
Chicanery? Coaches are dismissed based on their records, not the color of their skin. Worse coach ever,you hired people based on their experience,record and other factors.Smiths losing record is enough to let him go.
They have the least talented roster in football. What was he supposed to achieve?
I’m not too sure it’s Smith’s fault. I think it’s more on Pep. Some of the play calling has been horrendous at times.
*facepalm*
If he successfully gets them the #1 pick, then he deserves another year. Let him,work with Young at QB.
You don’t reward coaches with the most loses of any NFL team by being the 1st round draft choice. That’s not how it works, you get “let go” by being the worse. Sorry, he had his chances, we will not endure another losing season with him as head coach.
Tell that to Brian Flores lol he got fired for not getting the #1 pick
They’re going to evaluate Jim Harbaugh too.
Given the dead money issue stated they won’t pursue someone as expensive as Harbaugh (not that he’d leave Michigan for that mess in Texas). Of course Hue Jackson might be convinced to leave the college ranks and attempt a comeback.
I don’t see Jim leaving Michigan now.
can’t leave after losing to TCU like that.
he’s an alumni , wante to build the program back up
Any asst coach there more than 3 years with nothing to show show be let go as well,including those in administration positions …
DeMeco Ryans problem solved and of course one of the greatest Texans of all time!!!
Didn’t he sue the Texans? How is their relationship now?
Thanks, Mr. Obvious!
Lovie is waiting for full retirement age of 66 and 6 months.
Wes Phillips from Bum’s coaching tree.
The whole “coaching tree” concept is absurd. Some frustrated scientist decided genetics and evolution could be applied to sports.
Mmmmm,90% of NFL players are Black,95% in NBA and other sports.Genetics?,sure does look like it.Geneticists and scientists will say those who stayed in Africa evolved more physically in the harsh African climate and those who left evolved more mentally.So just why are Blacks more physically inclined to play sports and Caucasians more inclined to use their mental capacities?