The Houston Texans perhaps want a defensive coordinator to fill their coaching vacancy after all.
On the same day reports emerged that the Texans were not going to consider Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon for their coaching job, the Texans are now in talks with their own defensive coordinator and associate head coach, Lovie Smith, about taking over the main gig — according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates.
Hiring Smith would make him the first retread coach the Texans have hired since Dom Capers in 2002. Hiring Smith would also make the Texans the first NFL team to have back-to-back Black coaches since the Indianapolis Colts, who had Tony Dungy from 2002-08 and then Jim Caldwell from 2009-11.
The 63-year-old last coached the University of Illinois from 2016-20. Prior to taking the head football job with the Big Ten school, Smith coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014-15 and then the Chicago Bears from 2004-12, leading the NFC North club to a Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2006 season.
Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores and former quarterback Josh McCown are currently finalists for the job. Flores has a connection to general manager Nick Caserio through their time together with the New England Patriots from 2004-18. McCown was a backup quarterback on the 2020 team.