It seems like an eternity at this point following last season’s rapid turnaround, but four years ago, the Houston Texans were the NFL’s laughing stock.
They had just finished 4-12, had no first or second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and their franchise quarterback had over two dozen sexual assault cases stacking on top of already requesting a trade.
The architect behind the dumpster fire was former head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, who on Next Up with Adam Breneman said he regrets his time in the front office in 2019-2020.
“I didn’t really enjoy being the GM,” O’Brien said. “I didn’t enjoy negotiating contracts. In some respects, I lost relationships with some of the guys that I was coaching. In my opinion, very few guys in the history of football can ever (be a coach and GM simultaneously), and they’re the greatest of the greats.”
Bill O’Brien talks about his time being the Head Coach & General Manager in Houston:
“In the end, that’s not who I am, that’s another lesson learned. I didn’t really enjoy being the GM, I didn’t enjoy negotiating contracts. In some respects, I lost relationships with some of the… pic.twitter.com/U7U8RBGkAC
— Nick Schwager (@NickSchwagerNFL) June 11, 2024
As a coach, O’Brien had a proven track record. Houston won the AFC South four times and went 52-48 in six seasons under his watch, yet still couldn’t advance past Round 2.
O’Brien went 2-4 in the postseason and never made it past the divisional round. Fans also heavily criticized his handling of the playbook in the 2020 playoff matchup against Kansas City after blowing a 24-0 lead and thought change was inevitable.
O’Brien admitted he was in full control of Houston’s front office during the 2019 season after former general manager Brian Gaine was fired in the offseason. He also said the Texans struggled to find a full-time general manager, which did factor into the title being placed on the head coach.
“I feel like I’m a good coach, but those things I’m not great at. … I can evaluate talent, I know how to evaluate talent, but I shouldn’t be negotiating contracts and things like that,” O’Brien said. “In the end, that was a mistake by me. I wish I really didn’t do that to be really honest with you.”
Special teams is ALWAYS going to play a pivotal role in playoff games and that fake punt the #Texans tried and failed is such a massive call let me tell you why @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/4Z6NAOHSjZ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 13, 2020
Not every move made by O’Brien was terrible. Prior to the start of the 2019 season, the Texans traded multiple first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. He’s been one of the league’s top pass protectors and has made the Pro Bowl in four of his five seasons in the franchise.
While the Tunstil trade hit, the DeAndre Hopkins one backfired and likely led to O’Brien’s dismissal four games into the season. David Johnson never regained his 2016 form, while Hopkins remained a star for the Arizona Cardinals en route to a postseason berth.
On top of not receiving a first-round pick for arguably the NFL’s top weapon, O’Brien figured he only needed one second-round pick and traded the Texans’ pick to Los Angeles for Brandin Cooks.
"This is what Bill O'Brien has done as a GM: he traded away Jadeveon Clowney and didn't get a 1st-round pick. He traded away D-Hop and didn't get a 1st-round pick. Let that sink in."
— @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/31JtdyTmOO
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 18, 2020
Throw in the Jadevon Clowney trade and the disastrous moves make D.J. Reader’s departure in free agency a footnote. Three years and two offensive coordinator stops later, O’Brien doesn’t appear bitter about his time with the franchise.
Now back as a head coach with Boston College, O’Brien feels he learned ample from his time leading a team in assets and looks to establish that with his new team in the ACC.
As for the Texans, they seemed to have picked up the pieces with Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans from O’Brien’s mess left behind.