Someone has to take the heat; it comes with the territory of being a leader.
Cal McNair is the top dog in the Houston Texans’ power structure as the team’s chairman and CEO. Houston sports fans have been agitated since the trade of three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Instead of success with a couple different pieces for Deshaun Watson to work with, the Texans failed to launch with a 4-12 finish, Bill O’Brien fired as coach and general manager, and the dysfunction persisting as Watson’s communication with the organization has been laconic since the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio.
As a result, the media has focused on the Texans and scrutinized all of their decisions as the outcome so far has been nothing more than to perturb Watson.
McNair accepts the responsibility.
“Change is hard, and we’re going through change,” McNair said Friday via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “I accept that everything hasn’t gone perfectly. We’re working through it. If players, media and fans are upset, that’s on me. And I’ll apologize for my actions or communications that’s created mistrust.”
Part of why fans are frustrated is because of the elevation of Jack Easterby, a former character coach for the New England Patriots from 2013-18. The Texans hired Easterby as executive vice president of team development in April of 2019 in another move that had all the signals of Houston trying to be the Patriots’ southern command. Easterby was promoted to executive vice president of football operations at the same time O’Brien was promoted to general manager in January of 2020.
Easterby has been as much a part of the 4-12 debacle as anyone else, and given his friendship and work history with Caserio, a former New England Patriots director of player personnel, the front office hire reeked more of cronyism than a commitment to winning.
“I accept the fans’ frustration,” said McNair. “I’ll listen and learn and commit to getting better. We’re trying to win and chase championships, and I’m committed to doing that.”
The next hire the Texans have to make to resume as a fully operational franchise is coach, and the right hire could turn the tide to where McNair is accepting credit again and not blame.