[jwplayer j6xB0sdc]
The Houston Texans fired coach Bill O’Brien on Monday afternoon after the club posted an 0-4 start for the third time in club history.
Dom Capers was 0-4 in 2005, and was fired at the end of the season following a 2-14 finish. Gary Kubiak was 0-4 in 2008, but managed to finish 8-8 and stuck around for another five seasons before being fired three games to go in the 2013 campaign.
Cal McNair had seen enough from O’Brien after 100 regular season games on the job.
One of the last mistakes of the O’Brien era was giving the coach general manager duties. If history has shown anything, it is that a coach doubling up as a general manager is a recipe for failure. Coaches get too involved in the roster construction of a team from an outside personnel standpoint rather than focusing on the players they have in the building. O’Brien traded away Jadeveon Clowney, DeAndre Hopkins, their 2020-21 first-round picks, their 2021 second-round pick, and left the Texans in a soft rebuild. The only element that doesn’t throw Houston for a complete rebuild is thy have a franchise quarterback with Deshaun Watson through 2025. Hire the right coach, make a few good personnel moves in the offseason, and the Texans could be back to contending for an AFC South title.
However, the Texans are also $11 million in the hole in salary cap space. It won’t be as if they can sign the most quality free agents to fill the gaps on the roster. Houston also has tough decisions to make with fan favorites and locker room leaders such as J.J.Watt, Benardrick McKinney, and Whitney Mercilus, who earned their contract extensions, but may not be living up to them and thusly hampering the club’s ability to surround Watson with key pieces.
The next coach to take over the Texans will be strapped with financial difficulties and won’t be able to draft their way out of it, at least not in 2021. The Texans may need to go with a bright offensive coach who can win quickly with Watson.
[vertical-gallery id=54626]