The Houston Texans are looking for a new man to lead the offense following the firing of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik Friday afternoon.
Fresh off back-to-back AFC South division titles, Houston remains a prime location for any play-caller to flourish. The Texans have the quarterback in C.J. Stroud. They also have weapons, with Pro Bowlers Nico Collins and Joe Mixon back for 2025.
The Texans are expected to make a run at several offensive pieces in free agency and the draft, thus bolstering the personnel heading into 2025. And until plans change in Indianapolis, Tennessee, or Jacksonville, Houston remains the favorite to win the division entering next fall.
So, who are the top candidates?
Texans Wire will analyze a candidate each day until the hiring process concludes. Today, we begin with the individual that most fans wish will depart and move to Houston.
First, let’s discuss the guy the Texans just interviewed: Syracuse’s Jeff Nixon.
Background
Current position: Syracuse offensive coordinator
Previous coaching experience: New York Giants running backs coach (2023), Carolina Panthers running backs coach/interim offensive coordinator (2020-22), Baylor offensive coordinator (20017-19), San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach (2016), Miami Dolphins running backs coach (2011-15), Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach (2007-10)
Interview: Monday, Jan. 27, 2025
Pros
Nixon’s offense made a splash in the ACC this past season under first-year head coach Fran Brown. While most expected the run game to be a focal point of the Orange’s success, it was the high-tempo passing performance that excelled the ACC club to a record-setting campaign.
As the primary play-caller, Nixon’s personnel was the nation’s No. 1 passing offense, averaging 370 yards per game. Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord led the NCAA in passing yards (4,799) and passing attempts (592).
The senior also broke former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson’s single-season ACC passing record at Clemson set in 2016 while leading SU to its first 10-win season since 2018.
Running back LeQuint Allen also led the NCAA in catches for running backs (64) and had over 1,500 scrimmage yards. Allen also averaged 4.5 yards per attempt and scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 12 games.
If the Texans want to be a more up-tempo offense in 2025, Nixon should remain in the running. According to The Houston Chronicle’s Sam Warren, SU primarily lived in short passing attacks.
Nearly half of McCord’s pass attempts were between 0-9 yards, while his release time of 2.4 seconds was the fifth-fastest among FBS passers. Stroud’s 2.97 seconds was the NFL’s ninth-fastest. The former No. 2 overall pick also loves to attack the middle of the field, as evident by his connections with Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz in 2023.
Houston ranked 24th in explosive plays last season behind Slowik’s offense. Nixon’s unit was one of the best. McCord ranked second nationally on passes of 20+ air yards, completing 53% of his throws for nine touchdowns against three turnovers.
Unlike Stroud, McCord’s system allowed him to thrive under pressure. According to Warren, McCord’s 26.9% was the fifth-highest in the country. Stroud was pressured 39.4% on dropbacks.
The system will differ from Slowik’s design, but it’s meant to help move the chains promptly. Nixon emphasizes production and consistency as the root of the offensive approach. It works in all three stages of the field and eliminates one option as the go-to force in the passing game.
Cons
Nixon’s limited time as a play-caller in the pros did not go as planned. After Matt Rhule was fired in 2022, he took over as the interim offensive coordinator and struggled to build momentum.
Credit, Nixon was working with an aging Cam Newton who had lost the ability to throw and a lackluster run game that traded away Christian McCaffery, so the designs were one-dimensional. But after the season concluded, he never received an interview for an opening to call plays in the offseason.
All of Nixon’s success running an offense has come at the college level. Will it translate to the pros? It’s a concern since any more regression could stall the growth of Stroud as he enters Year 3.
Syracuse also featured a five-tool passing attack, with four players hauling at least 50 passes. Five totaled over 500 yards and three found the end zone eight-plus times.
Is that sustainable for the current offensive status? Collins is back as the top receiver. Mixon returns in the backfield. Everyone else is up for grabs, including free agents Robert Woods and Stefon Diggs on the market.
Final Verdict
Initially, fans seemed frustrated at the interview, but the more you dive into the Xs and Os, Nixon is a solid option. Areas of weakness for Stroud last season were positions for strength for McCord, who served as Stroud’s backup at Ohio State for two seasons.
NFL experience plus time a play-caller crosses off two immediate boxes that have concerned fans. A background in the running back likely adds to Nixon’s case since the run game was an arid weakness before Mixon’s arrival.
Then again, Stroud is the selling point, so having experience as a quarterbacks coach might be a prerequisite.
The Texans must comply with the Rooney Rule and interview two minority candidates. Could Nixon just fit a quota? Perhaps, but the more you dive into his personnel packages, the more you like him.
Houston fans might not be on board with the move based on name alone, but appearances can be deceiving. It’s not the slam dunk hire based on name, yet it could be why Stroud returns to All-Pro form.
But other names still exist. Let’s play it safe and say Nixon has a hair’s chance to stand on the sidelines at NRG Stadium come Week 1.
Chances of hiring: 15%
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