Lovie Smith Fired / Head Coaching Search / DeMeco Ryans Hired!
 

Didn't wait until the annual Black Monday tradition of firing head coaches the first day after the conclusion of the regular season. For the second year in a row, the Texans have fired a head coach.

Lovie Smith reportedly has three more years due to him. Iirc, his predecessor David Culley has at least one more, maybe two?

Lovie was always something of a stopgap. Brian Flores sued the team, and no one seemingly wanted to be in Houston with the Deshaun Watson issue still unresolved. Theoretically, the position is somewhat more desirable if only because it couldn't get much worse.

Lots of flashy candidate names out there. Doubt any will come, but I would like to see DeMeco Ryans and the Texans have mutual interest. The early buzz though is that Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon and Lions OC Ben Johnson are favorites.

Speaking of suing the team, there is no way Demeco is going to come to the Texans. He sued the team over their jink ass field and he knows first had what a shitshow the place is.

Lovie was always a stopgap, true, but I'm pretty sure the team fired the wrong guy.

Yes, I remember now that Aaron Wilson or someone reported that earlier re: DeMeco. And there is virtually no significant talk of him coming here. Another in a long line of disappointments.

The talk of Gannon a year ago was that he wanted some say in his assistants that for whatever reason the Texans didn't want to give him. Gannon had like 3 interviews and was a finalist but then things got weird with the Flores suit, the Easterby influence, etc.

It's not my money, but by hiring two consecutive stopgaps, the McNairs are paying both Culley and Smith an extra three years for their one year of service. Good for them. For whatever faults, Lovie surely maintained some respect in the league for how the Texans performed dating back to Week 14 (except for that horrid game agains the Jaguars).

Lovie has his share of faults and made more than his share of mistakes and is nowhere near the ideal coach for the team, but he is a very experienced head coach who fits the bill of head coach. A guy like Culley was set up to fail. As you point out, he gets to collect (large) paychecks for a while, so good for him.

I can't imagine any attractive candidate is going to want to work for Caserio, but we'll see.

Yeah, I don't imagine guys like Payton or Harbaugh have any interest.

fwiw...
https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/...91049284562947

I have interest in Scarlett Johansson.

Up to Scarlett if the interest is mutual, noted.

Nick Caserio, perhaps learning from last year, isn't messing around this time.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1612553366734774298


https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1612556723172134932

FWIW, DeMeco eventually dropped the Texans and the NFL from the lawsuit, but that was probably because he would have had to go to arbitration to pursue claims against them. Looks like in 2021 he settled with Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. (the stadium owner), the stadium management company, and the turf company.

Obviously less than ideal to have been previously sued by an apparently in-demand guy that they may be interested in hiring, but I don’t think you can assume that he’s not interested based on that fact. Some people are able to compartmentalize these things, especially when there are limited opportunities for these jobs. Also not to say that there aren't other reasons for him not to be interested.

https://twitter.com/PSchrags/status/1613275206721720329

Broncos and Cardinals are also seeking to interview Payton.

Texans interview Ben Johnson today (Thursday), Shane Steichen tomorrow, and Ejiro Evero on Monday. Evero is interviewing with the Colts today.

No word on whether DeMeco Ryans will want to be scheduled. He is focused on the playoffs. Sean Payton can't interview until next week, if he even does. Jonathan Gannon and Mike Kafka interviews TBD I suppose.

It' good news that they are moving this quickly on a new hire, and yes we do need some young blood instead of another ole timer.
I really like Ryans but I'd rather have an offensive-mined coach than a defensive guy like Ryans. Oh BTW Demeco is married to a Houston native which could be a factor on his interest about coaching back here, but I say top priority lets get somebody who specializes in offenses so we can figure out what to do at QB.

Gannon interview scheduled for Saturday.

Thomas Brown interview scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday 1/17). Today is supposed to be Evero, moved to tomorrow. Interviews completed as expected for Johnson, Streichen, and Gannon. Payton should be later this week? And Ryans supposedly hasn't turned down the Texans (yet?).

DeMeco Ryans believed to be interviewing with the Texans on Thursday or Friday.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/sta...29929296396296
https://twitter.com/JamesPalmerTV/st...74813835612160

https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/...58193897750530
https://twitter.com/nick_underhill/s...71814182469645

Evero was originally supposed to be interviewed today, now moved to tomorrow along with the Thomas interview. I wonder if he got bumped so the Texans could focus on Payton today? I do not like the idea of giving up any compensation to hire any head coach, including Payton, but if they only lost their second rounder and not #12 overall, I guess I could live with that. A little surprising anyone of any repute wants to talk the Texans, so beggars and choosers and whatnot.

The official site tweeted out that they concluded interviews with Evero at 12:03pm and with Thomas at 1:40m. Seems like a quick turnaround, so unsure whether we should read into this that neither (minority) candidates are being considered very seriously? :confused:

https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/sta...08570375593989
Odd. Could be a cynic and say Ben didn't like the Houston job, but he's walking away from at least three teams willing to interview him (Texans, Colts, & Panthers). Could say maybe he knows he isn't getting the job, but again, all three? And no word that the Lions are giving him more money to stay? Hmm.

Panthers guys think this means Payton is going to Carolina, which who knows maybe, but it would seem a little odd for the Saints to trade Payton within the division. I guess if I had to guess who was coming to Houston eventually, my guess would be Gannon today.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1616066077556973568

So Ryans on Friday and Kafka on Sunday.

Word is the Broncos and Texans are willing to pay both the lofty salary demands of Payton as well as the draft pick compensation to the Saints. I think the Panthers will be too. I'd pick the Broncos as favorites of the three assuming he goes anywhere.

My preference is still Ryans, so I am of course encouraged he's at least interviewing. Still think Gannon is most likely, but I am intrigued by Kafka.

My preference is Ryans too. If he won't come, I guess I don't mind losing a draft pick to get Sean Payton to be the adult in the room.

I'm hoping for Kafka because that would be too perfect.

Ryans and Kafka interviews have been completed. Apparently the Ryans interview was rather long. Then there was this:
https://twitter.com/JayGlazer/status...03145104957440
So... why did he schedule them if he knew he needed more time to game plan? The optimist here says that's how successful the interview was with the Texans. Plus, Glazer specifies the Cardinals and Colts interviews were canceled, not postponed.

Kafka will have a second interview on Tuesday, in person. Evero will have his second interview on Wednesday in person.

Since the Eagles and 49ers are still alive in the playoffs, Gannon, Steichen, and Ryan are unable to have a second interview, if desired, until next week.

Payton reportedly completed his first interview with the Panthers yesterday and may have one coming up with the Cardinals. Seems a second one with the Broncos is expected. No update on any second interview with the Texans.

Panthers have hired Frank Reich. Rumors swirling in Denver now that they favor DeMeco Ryans as their hire. Irsay rumored to want to bring back Jeff Saturday, so there's your new laughingstock.

Not a definitive answer to the cancel/postpone question, but if the 49ers make the Super Bowl then (from what I can tell) the Cardinals and Colts can’t have a first interview with him until after the Super Bowl. Only second interviews with coaches on the Super Bowl teams are allowed in the week between the conference championship and the Super Bowl, and only if the 49ers permit it. So I’m going to guess that even if those interviews were officially postponed, DeMeco had to understand that there’s a really good chance that they’d never happen.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...b?platform=amp


“San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is considered the favorite for the Houston Texans' head-coaching job, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.“

Really hoping this pans out, usually reporting from Shefter spot on.

If it is, LFG!!!

https://twitter.com/DavidGrzyTV/stat...45562244943872

Sounding more and more like the Texans will be hiring DeMeco Ryans as their new head coach. Dreams really do come true. :p

Maybe the Texans want DeMeco, but does DeMeco want the Texans as his new employer ? If not, dream on.

It's happening!!! Six years!!

This won't ever really come out but credit Mrs. McNair (Bob's widow) with playing a part in getting Ryans back. She has always loved him like a son and has kept in touch with him since he left Houston. The feeling is very mutual between them.

Greg Grissom also did work behind the scenes to make it happen.

Pep may stick around as QB coach. He doesn't want to uproot his son, who is a local HS QB.

It really depends on how many offensive coaches that Kyle Shanahan blocks from leaving SF.

How many Kubiaks are in play? :confused: :D

Troy Walters trivia: he is a product of College Station A&M Consolidated High School. His father was the Texas A&M DBs coach at the time. The WRs coach on that staff? An up-and-comer by the name of David Culley. The RBs coach (for part of the time)? Gary Kubiak. The OL coach? Mike Sherman, who would later hire Troy as A&M’s WRs coach.

https://twitter.com/aaronwilson_nfl/...___t8ktbqz-ZKg

Slowik’s father is also a longtime assistant coach (currently in the CFL), but no known A&M connections. :)

Aaron Wilson also reported added 49ers passing defense/secondary coach Cory Undlin and Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel as defensive coordinator candidates. Mentioned 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, but Niners may be looking to retain him. Undlin (Lions) and Manuel (Falcons) are former DCs, the latter a target to also join Frank Reich's staff as the Panthers DC.

https://www.click2houston.com/sports...e-coordinator/

Patriots TE coach Nick Caley also said to have interviewed for the OC job. Coming from New England makes him sound like more of a Caserio guy unlike the others who seem like they have connections to DeMeco.