The Texans are walking into 2026 with real noise around them, and a big reason why is the defense DeMeco Ryans has built in Houston. After a 12-5 season, the team is being talked about like a legitimate postseason threat, and the unit on that side of the ball has already earned a reputation as the best in football in 2025.
That’s not just local hype, either. CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles ranked Ryans as the No. 9 head coach in the NFL and summed up Houston’s defense with two words: “World class.”
The group has the kind of star power that jumps off the page. Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre anchor the secondary, Azeez Al-Shaair leads at linebacker, and the edge rush group features Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr. and Jadeveon Clowney. It’s the sort of collection that makes opposing offenses feel the pressure before the first snap.
Pereles made clear that Ryans is right in the middle of it all, even if defensive coordinator Matt Burke handles the actual play calling. As he wrote, “Ryans appeared on every ballot this year, joining McVay, Macdonald, Shanahan, Reid and Payton in an elite group.
A former linebacker, Ryans is closely involved with the defensive game-planning, but the actual play calling belongs to defensive coordinator Matt Burke. The Texans have built a world-class defense under Ryans' watch, but in order for both Ryans and Houston to take the next step forward, they have to get it right on offense with C.J.
Stroud. This year is a crucial one for all parties involved.
Ryans has won at least 10 games in all three of his seasons as a head coach after two excellent years as the 49ers' defensive coordinator.”
There’s a case to be made that No. 9 undersells what Ryans has done in Houston. The Texans have already put together some of the best teams in franchise history under his leadership. At the same time, the coaches ahead of him have pushed deeper into the postseason, and that matters in this kind of ranking.
One strong year could change the conversation quickly. Seattle’s Mike MacDonald jumped to No. 2 after winning a Super Bowl, while Chiefs coach Andy Reid landed at No. 4 despite a far longer and more decorated résumé. In a league that loves the present tense, the next step can matter just as much as everything that came before it.
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