The Texans were one of the NFL’s best surprises of the 2023 season, winning 10 games and making the playoffs with a rookie quarterback and head coach. DeMeco Ryans actually put together quite an impressive staff that would end up drawing lots of interest in from teams looking to fill vacant roles after the season came to an end. Luckily, though, Houston was able to beat off the suitors for two assistants.
Assistant offensive line coach Cole Popovich received interest from a few other teams, at one point interviewing for the offensive line coach job at Washington under new head coach Dan Quinn. Despite the outside interest, Popovich will remain in Houston “under a revamped contract,” per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
Wilson also reported that safeties coach Stephen Adegoke was set to depart for the defensive backs coaching job at the University of Michigan. The next day, though, he issued a second report that Adegoke would instead return to Houston. Adegoke had reportedly accepted the Michigan job before finalizing a contract, so he will be able to come back for his second year with the Texans.
Here are a few other staff updates from around the AFC South:
- Colts head coach Shane Steichen has had to do some shuffling for his 2024 staff. With the team’s decision not to retain assistant defensive backs coach Mike Mitchell, they have made the move to hire Titans defensive quality control coach Justin Hamilton in his place, according to Mike Chappell of FOX59. Indianapolis will also bring in Eagles quarterbacks coach Alex Tanney to serve as its passing game coordinator. Remaining in Philadelphia after Steichen’s departure, Tanney will now reunite with his former boss in Indianapolis.
- The Titans have now completed the hiring of their new coordinators. Joining first-time coordinators Nick Holz on offense and Dennard Wilson on defense will be first-time special teams coordinator Colt Anderson, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Anderson, a former undrafted defensive back, saw plenty of time on special teams over his nine-year career in the NFL. After spending the last four seasons as an assistant special teams coach for the Bengals, Anderson will follow new Titans head coach Brian Callahan to Nashville for his first coordinator position.