HOUSTON — When the Houston Texans take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, they will do so with David Culley as their head coach. But standing on the opposite side of Highmark Stadium will be Bills’ defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier.
Frazier was a finalist for the Texans amid their head coaching hire in January, before the franchise decided that Culley was their guy.
Although Culley ultimately beat out one of his closest friends for the vacant coaching job, the interview process was stressful.
“I never at any point during that process felt I was going to get the job until Cal [McNair] told me I was going to be the head coach,” Culley said. “Twice while I was here for an interview I thought I was going back home.”
Culley has the utmost respect for Frazier and what he has accomplished through his career as an NFL coach. They coached under Andy Reid in Philadelphia for four seasons (1999-2002) together, prior to Frazier’s departure to take a defensive coordinator job with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 2010, Frazier received his lone coaching gig with the Minnesota Vikings when he took over for Brad Childress midseason. From 2010-13, Frazier finished with a record of 21-31-1. His only winning season came in 2012 when the Vikings finished 10-6 and lost to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card game.
The pinnacle of Frazier’s career came in 2007 when he helped the Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLI as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Culley said after he received the job offer from the Texans, he prayed to thank the Lord.