On Monday night, Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair and general manager Nick Caserio met with the media to discuss the dismissal of head coach Lovie Smith after an abysmal 3-13-1 season.
The press conference featured an opening statement from McNair before Caserio took questions from the media. The topics covered featured the controversial firing of two consecutive one-and-done coaches, the upcoming coaching search, and the team’s shortcomings under Caserio’s tenure thus far.
Here are some of the key things learned from Monday evening.
Cal McNair will be involved with the coaching search
During the opening statement from McNair, he quickly informed the media that he would be playing a key part in the coaching search.
"We've dealt with unprecedented circumstances over the last several years but we're excited about our future and where we're heading… Whether that's exploring uniform changes or making head coach changes. We're always looking to up our game." – CEO Cal McNair #WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) January 9, 2023
For some, this was a sign of dismay as they’d like to see Caserio run a coaching search all on his own. For others, it was a sigh of relief that Caserio may not be involved to over reach on demands for candidates as he did during the 2022 coaching search.
"We are going to pick the best coach to take this team into our future with significant draft capital, salary cap space and talented young roster." -Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair pic.twitter.com/ZIJLNCKtsm
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 10, 2023
Regardless, the announcement signals a trend that the younger McNair is continuing to take further steps forward to be involved with the football operations of the club his father originally founded. Moving forward from Jack Easterby was a big step for McNair, finding a respectable hire for the franchise would certainly signal another.
Nick Caserio will not interfere with candidates
Time and time again Monday night, Caserio mentioned that he was willing to step into smaller roles if that was needed to secure top coaching candidates. He preached the need for a collaborative process and the need for change in how Houston was courting candidates.
There’s been ample speculation that the Texans failed to hire Jonathan Gannon last season due to Caserio’s desire for control. It was the general manager’s own insistence that he be allowed to help Gannon assemble his staff and coordinators that ultimately triggered the Philadelphia defensive coordinator to return to the Eagles.
This may allow Houston to be more aggressive with top candidates and promise more control than they previously thought able. It could also signal a general manager situation that coaches may be unwilling to hitch their wagon to.
Nick Caserio doesn’t sound very confident about his job security tonight.
This is night-and-day in terms of tone from the guy who proudly told us he’d “Go down Swinging” almost a year ago. #WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) January 10, 2023
Delegating the general manager back to the front office and the coach back to the football field could allow for a more harmonious, fruitful rebuild in Houston.
Caserio has been humbled
The overall tone in Caserio’s voice and the message preached on Monday was a far cry from the general manager who once said he would “go down swinging.” Caserio was forced to touch on his uncertain job status moving forward and the necessity for improvement time and time again.
It sounded like someone who knew that his work has not been good enough.
The team has won just seven games over the 34 contests played during Caserio’s first two years and they are still without a coach and without any firm direction for the future of the franchise. It’s time for the general manager to find a young mind to lead the team, locate his franchise quarterback, and pray that Houston takes big steps forward in 2023.
Nick Caserio needs DeMeco Ryans so, so much more than Ryans needs the Texans.
Caserio and the franchise should be ready to make some major financial and decision-making concessions to make the hire if possible. He checks every box you could ask for #WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) January 9, 2023
It’s possible Houston lands their dream scenario and hires San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and draft Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. It’s equally possible that dream, or any dream that Caserio has for the franchise, fails to work in 2023. The press conference featured a man who recognized it would likely cost him his job.
