Houston Texans fans know what Jack Easterby’s title is: executive vice president of football operations.
Although the title seemingly defines that Easterby runs the football ops, there is some ambiguity as to what he exactly does. Houston fans may not hear from him during the week, but can catch glimpses of him on the sidelines of Texans games.
Easterby joined Jacob Erlbaum and Jacob Hare on the “Jacob and Jacob Podcast” and outlined what exactly his role is within the Texans organization.
“Obviously in an NFL organization there’s tons of different roles and things that are given,” Easterby said. “We’re organized in a very unique way. Nick Caserio, who is our general manager, does an awesome job with the roster and the football operation in relation to specific roster transactions, building our team, our personnel, and then our football performance on the field.”
Easterby was hired as the vice president of team development in April of 2019. After the firing of general manager Brian Gaine on June 7, 2019, and coach Bill O’Brien being named general manager in January 2020, Easterby similarly received a promotion to his current position. When O’Brien was fired on Oct. 5, 2020, Easterby was promoted to interim general manager, a role he vacated once the Texans hired Caserio as general manager at the end of the 2020 season.
With Easterby back in a football ops role, and not having to help out a coach doubling up as general manager, he can get back to serving the team.
“Then what I try to do is serve the rest of the building through what we call our SPT programs, which are our sports performance teams and the onboarding efforts of our team and then also the logistical components and the data and technology components that support the team,” said Easterby. “So, it’s a support role that really, hopefully drives the innovation and hopefully the efficiency of the operation to give the coaches and the players and the general manager what they need to do their job well.”
The Texans had one winning year so far since Easterby joined the team. Chairman and CEO Cal McNair and the rest of the organization is hopeful Easterby can take part in rebuilding the Texans and getting them back into playoff contention.