As the NFL head coach hiring cycle swirls, it’s inevitable for teams with good assistants and coordinators to get swept into the interview process. The Houston Texans were not left behind after the Carolina Panthers requested to interview offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Don’t worry, Slowik won’t be interviewing with the Panthers until after the Texans’ wildcard matchup with the Cleveland Browns. And if the Texans win, he couldn’t even do an in-person interview until after the divisional round of the playoffs. But the fact that the 36-year-old Slowik is getting interview requests after one year as an offensive play-caller is both good and bad.
For one, it means head coach DeMeco Ryans did something right by bringing Slowik with him from the San Francisco 49ers. Slowik is of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, having been with the 49ers since 2017 after he worked as a defensive assistant with Washington from 2011-2013 and a few years as an analyst with Pro Football Focus.
What Slowik has done with the Texans in one year is nothing short of incredible. He built an offense that helped quarterback C.J. Stroud become a top-10 quarterback in less than one year with inexperienced pass-catchers who look like stars.
The Texans finished with the seventh-best passing offense in the NFL this year and Stroud only threw five interceptions on the season. Rookie wideout Tank Dell looks like a stud despite ending his season on injured reserve, while third-year receiver Nico Collins finished with almost 1,300 receiving yards despite missing two games.
But it would be unfortunate for Stroud and the Texans to lose their top offensive mind after just one year with a team, especially after how well they looked in the second half of the season. Slowik will have a lot of tough competition for the Panthers job, though, as Carolina has requested to interview eight other candidates as well this offseason.
