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The Houston Texans will enter the 2023 offseason in search of a new head coach...again. The organization fired head coach Lovie Smith following a 3-13-1 season where the team finished with the second-worst record in the league. Smith’s tenure with the franchise lasted just 11 months.
Playing their first full season after finally parting ways with quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Texans entered 2022 with the clearest rebuild in the league ahead of them. It was almost immediately apparent that Smith’s crew would be finishing at the bottom of the standings as the losses quickly piled up. After a 1-3-1 start, the team went into a free fall with a nine-game losing streak. However, Houston began to show fight towards the end of the year, best evidenced by a two-week stretch where it took Kansas City to overtime before taking down division-leading Tennessee. In the season finale against Indianapolis, Smith boldly went for the win in the final minute of the game, pulling out a victory that ultimately cost them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was officially relieved of his duties just hours later.
Houston will now look to hire its third head coach in three years after burning through back-to-back one-and-done hires in Smith and David Culley prior. The organization has been a bit of a mess in recent years but the new head coach will have the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft with the opportunity to potentially draft a franchise QB.
Interview Candidates
January 9: The Texans requested to interview 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans, per Ian Rapoport.
January 10: The Texans requested an interview with Eagles OC Shane Steichen.
January 10: Houston requested to interview the Giants OC Mike Kafka, per Ian Rapoport.
January 11: The Texans have requested to interview Sean Payton, per Peter Schrager.
January 12: The Texans requested to interview Rams assistant head coach Thomas Brown, per Tom Pelissero.
January 12: The Titans will interview Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon on January 14, per Albert Breer.
January 12: Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has interviewed with the Texans.
January 12: The Texans interviewed the Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson for the head coaching job.
January 17: The Texans interviewed Rams tight ends/assistant head coach for the head coaching position, per Adam Schefter.