You can't tell the (still relatively brief) story of the Houston Texans without referencing coach DeMeco Ryans.
The then-4-year-old Texans drafted Ryans in the second round of the 2006 draft, when they were still a young team fighting for legitimacy. Ryans—star of Alabama's 2005 team, its last great pre-Nick Saban squad—instantly injected life into Houston's defense, and was named the ’06 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Two Pro Bowl appearances followed in the years to come.
Now, Ryans has helmed a wholesale turnaround in his first year as Houston's head coach. The Texans, 3-13-1 in 2022, are now 10–7 and a Jacksonville Jaguars loss away from a division title.
After beating the Indianapolis Colts 23–19 on Saturday to secure a playoff berth, Ryans seemed to take a moment to reflect on his accomplishments.
#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans emotional after making playoffs winning 10th game @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/7qeQnLpWxa
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 7, 2024
Just 39, Ryans has helped Houston improve its scoring and total defense ranks to marks not seen since former defensive end J.J. Watt's heyday. That's to say nothing of his impact on quarterback C.J. Stroud, the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Texans' wild-card opponent has yet to be determined, but their ability to keep the dance going this far must be commended.
