If there’s one NFL subplot that reliably takes center stage every January outside of the Playoffs, it’s the head coaching carousel - a whirlwind of firings, hirings, and fresh starts that often drops new coaches into less-than-ideal circumstances. Few fanbases know that cycle better than the Houston Texans faithful.
Since parting ways with Bill O’Brien midway through the 2021 season, the Texans have cycled through a trio of head coaches, each tasked with rebooting a franchise that had lost its footing. It wasn’t until DeMeco Ryans returned to Houston - the city where he once starred as a linebacker - that the Texans finally found a steady hand to guide the rebuild.
DeMeco Ryans: A Top-5 Coaching Hire
On Thursday, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell released his rankings of all 37 head coaching hires made between 2021 and 2025. DeMeco Ryans didn’t just make the top 10 - he landed at No. 5 overall. That’s a testament to what he’s built in Houston in a very short time.
Let’s put it into perspective: before Ryans took over, the Texans had managed just three or four wins in each of the previous three seasons. Since then?
Back-to-back-to-back 10-win campaigns, each capped with a playoff victory. That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s culture, it’s scheme, it’s development - and it’s all Ryans.
Through his first three seasons, Ryans has posted a 32-19 record - more wins in any three-year stretch than any coach in Texans history. And with three postseason victories already under his belt, he holds the franchise record for playoff wins as well. That’s not just progress; that’s a full-blown transformation.
Among the 2023 coaching class, Ryans stands alone at the top. Sean Payton, a Super Bowl winner with the Saints, came in at No.
- Shane Steichen landed at 15, Jonathan Gannon at 26, and Frank Reich - whose stint in Carolina was short-lived - fell all the way to 36.
Only four coaches from the last five years ranked ahead of Ryans: Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, Mike Macdonald, and Mike Vrabel. That’s elite company, and Ryans has earned his seat at that table.
Lovie Smith: A Short Stint with a Lasting Impact
Coming in at No. 33 on Barnwell’s list is Lovie Smith, the veteran coach who stepped into a tough spot in 2022. After a stint as the Texans’ defensive coordinator, Smith was promoted to head coach just as the team was entering full rebuild mode. With Deshaun Watson traded and expectations at rock bottom, Smith was never set up for long-term success.
Still, his lone season in Houston left a mark - and not just in the win-loss column. The Texans went into Week 18 of the 2022 season with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft within reach. But in a twist of fate, Smith’s Texans pulled off a late-game win, converting a two-point play to seal the victory - and, in doing so, handed the top pick to the Chicago Bears.
At the time, it looked like a costly win. But it ended up working out better than anyone could’ve imagined for Houston.
With the No. 2 pick, they selected CJ Stroud, who’s already shown flashes of being a franchise quarterback. Then they traded up to grab the No. 3 pick and took Will Anderson Jr., Stroud’s former Alabama teammate and a cornerstone on defense.
Meanwhile, the Bears parlayed that No. 1 pick into a haul from the Panthers - including wide receiver DJ Moore and a collection of draft picks that eventually yielded Caleb Williams. But for Houston, missing out on Bryce Young turned into a blessing in disguise. Stroud has outperformed expectations, and the Texans came away with two foundational pieces instead of one.
David Culley: A Tough Hand from the Start
Just behind Smith on the list is David Culley, ranked at No. 34.
Culley’s story is one of a veteran assistant finally getting his shot - albeit in a near-impossible situation. Hired at age 65 with no prior coordinating experience at the NFL level, Culley took over a Texans team in total disarray.
Deshaun Watson didn’t play a snap in 2022, and the roster was thin on both sides of the ball. Culley managed to scratch out four wins, but it was clear from the jump that he was a placeholder in a transitional year. He didn’t survive past his first season, but he also wasn’t fired midseason - a distinction that puts him slightly ahead of only Nathaniel Hackett, Frank Reich, and Urban Meyer on Barnwell’s list.
The Big Picture in Houston
Looking back, the Texans’ coaching journey over the last few years reads like a case study in organizational reset. First came Culley, a steadying presence in a chaotic time.
Then Smith, who helped bridge the gap and, in a roundabout way, set up the team for future success. And finally, Ryans - the homegrown leader who’s brought credibility, toughness, and a whole lot of winning back to Houston.
For a franchise that’s spent more time in the headlines for dysfunction than dominance, the tide is finally turning. And with Ryans at the helm, it feels like the Texans are just getting started.