Moments after the Texans announced former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans would become the franchise’s next coach, a former Houston star chimed in on the team’s hiring.
JJ Watt, who spent 10 seasons with the Texans before playing his last two seasons with the Cardinals, was excited to see Ryans get the nod in Houston. Ryans and Watt were Texans teammates during the 2011 season.
“LET’S GOOOOOOO!!!!!! You want to reenergize and reignite the incredible Houston fan base, this is a hell of a start!! Cannot wait to see what Meco does. One of the best teammates & leaders I’ve ever been around. #HTown 🤘🏼,” Watt tweeted.
Watt, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year played in Houston from ’11 to ’20, a timeframe in which the Texans had seven winning seasons.
After the Texans released Watt on Feb. 12, 2021, the Cardinals signed him on a two-year deal in March ’21. Since Watt’s departure, the Texans are 7-26-1 in the last two seasons. That includes a 3-13-1 campaign in ’22.
The Texans have not enjoyed a winning season since 2019, when they finished 10-6. Ryans joins a Houston organization in need of change and direction.
Prior to Ryans’s hiring, Lovie Smith served as the Texans coach for the ’22 season. Smith was fired after Houston’s 32-31 win against Indianapolis in the Texans’ season finale. Before Smith, David Culley coached the team for one year, posting a 4–13 record in the ’21 season before his firing.
