Texans could bring back familiar face to be their next head coach

DeMeco Ryans could be the next head coach of the Houston Texans if his interview goes well.

Although the Houston Texans are looking to hire a head coach for the third offseason in a row, do not be shocked if DeMeco Ryans is the one to lead this AFC South franchise going forward.

Ryans is one of the hottest coaching candidates out there. The San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator was a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Texans in the 2000s. Not only that, but he appears to be a finalist for the Denver Broncos gig as well. Assuming his upcoming meeting with the Texans goes well, Ryans could lead the franchise he once had tremendous success playing for.

The expectation is that Ryans will meet with the Texans next week, regardless of how the NFC Championship Game goes with the Philadelphia Eagles. If all goes well, he could be named their next head coach very soon.

It should be noted that Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon was a finalist for the job last offseason and could be the other top candidate in the running to lead Houston in 2023.

DeMeco Ryans has emerged as a top candidate for the Houston Texans vacancy

Houston is one of the most controversial openings in the NFL this offseason. The Texans have been absolutely terrible since Bill O’Brien, Deshaun Watson and the 2019 team blew a massive lead to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. O’Brien was fired four weeks into 2020. Since then, the Texans went one-and-done with back-to-back head coaches…

To make things even more damning, Houston has fired two black coaches after one season on the job: David Culley in 2021 and Lovie Smith in 2022. No doubt about it, the Texans are one of the most dysfunctional organizations across the NFL. However, they have talent on their roster and they also have two top-16 picks in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, including their own at No. 2.

What Houston needs more than anything is a culture setter. It does not really matter what side of the ball the head coach favors, so long as he is an effective communicator and a great leader of men. Ryans not only checks both boxes, but he knows what winning looks like in Houston from his days playing for Gary Kubiak. For so many reasons, Ryans feels like the perfect hire for the Texans.

Should his interview with Cal McNair and the Texans brass goes well, he could be Houston’s coach.