The Houston Texans new coach and their new defensive coordinator have never worked together. Though that sounds concerning, those who knew both men well believe it will work.
However, New York Jets coach Robert Saleh knew that DeMeco Ryans and Matt Burke both had similar philosophies when it came to defense. They would make a great match.
Burke held the role of “game management coach” with the Jets in 2021, which allowed him to bridge analytics and game management decisions — and also make a good impression with Saleh, who worked with Ryans at the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-20.
Here are four takeaways from the Texans’ introductory press conference with Burke.