HOUSTON — Life for Houston Texans first-year coach DeMeco Ryans has become more difficult for him to navigate these days.
He is recognized more now since being hired by the organization than he was during his playing days in Houston.
Every time an individual gets an opportunity to talk to him, they have that one question that he knows is coming and has prepared himself for.
“What are the Texans going to do this year?” they ask and wait patiently for Ryans to answer.
Along with the inquiry of whom the Texans plan to select with their two picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, the pressure could seem like a lot for a coach still arraigning things in his new office. But Ryans isn’t a person who runs from any situation. In fact, he stands in the middle of it and navigates it to a positive outcome.
“No pressure for me at all,” said Ryans when asked about the expectations that fans have for him at his press conference on Tuesday. “This is an outstanding organization, an outstanding job. I love the excitement being around the city, just everybody stopping. Fans are excited; they want to take pictures and autographs. It’s an exciting time. I don’t feel any pressure because I know I’m surrounding myself with the right people, and I know we can get the job done.
“I know Houston is hungry for a winner. Trust me; I’m just as hungry to create a winner for this organization, for this city. It means a lot to me, and I want to be able to bring that to Houston. So, it’s no pressure. It just reminds me just continue to put your head down and go to work with the right purpose and to be detailed and just make sure we’re adding really great players to our team so when we line up on that field on Sundays, I want to just put a team out there that our city is proud of.”
Players reported to NRG Stadium this week voluntarily, as they are allowed to be at the facility to work out and continue their off-season training for the next two weeks in Houston.
“No pressure at all for me,” said first-year Houston Texans HC DeMeco Ryans when I asked about the expectations of the fan base. “I know Houston is hungry for a winner. Trust me; I am just as hungry to create a winner.” #Texans #Sarge @TheTexansWire pic.twitter.com/WpJ6ziyTwt
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) April 12, 2023
“I couldn’t wait to get back here and begin to work towards next season for DeMeco,” said one Texans player who plans to spend the next two weeks in Houston. “Coach has that presence where you want to make sure you are prepared, especially since he played the game and knows what it takes.”
Texans fans are hoping that Ryans can bring back that winning feeling they had before the franchise had three consecutive seasons of winning less than five games. His hiring was an immediate upgrade from the previous two coaches, David Culley, a longtime NFL assistant, and Lovie Smith, who has a Super Bowl appearance on his resumé but could not help Houston in his one-year stint as coach.
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