As expected, the Houston Texans have extended head coach Bill O’Brien. The deal is four years that will take effect after this upcoming season. This does not come as a surprise since it was speculated that the Texans would retain O’Brien and was covered in a previous article.
John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported earlier this morning.
The Texans have reached agreements with new general manager Brian Gaine and extended the contract of coach Bill O’Brien.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 13, 2018
Brian Gaine agreed to terms on a five-year deal as the next general manager. Gaine takes the position that was previously filled by former general manager Rick Smith. Gaine is the former vice president of player personnel of the Buffalo Bills.
Gaine replaces Rick Smith as the Texans' third GM after Smith and Charley Casserly. O'Brien had one year left on his contract.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 13, 2018
Before 2017 Gaine spent three seasons with the Texans as director of pro personnel and later director of player personnel. Gaine is familiar with the Texans and how the franchise operates. Bringing Gaine back into the fold helps Houston achieve the consistency they desire.
The four-year extension for O’Brien and five-year deal for Gaine allow both parties to work on the same timeline. This will allow the Texans to have a consistent and familiar face in the organization.
O’Brien is coming off a disappointing 4-12 season that many thought warranted dismissal. Although the three previous seasons where Houston won nine games each year show that O’Brien is more than capable of coaching this team. O’Brien has a 1-2 record in the playoffs that include a victory over Oakland last season. The losses are to Kansas City in 2016 and New England in 2017.
While some believe a head coaching change would help the Texans bounce back sometimes that is not always accurate. Especially considering the success Deshaun Watson experienced under O’Brien. Keeping a consistent offensive system with Watson will only further his development. Frequent offensive scheme changes early in a quarterback’s career often derail their career. The last thing Houston needs is to potentially ruin a quarterback by changing the offensive scheme.
How does this impact the Texans future?
The best thing for a Texans team that is so close to contending is keeping O’Brien as head coach. Injuries derailed this season and this is not the fault of O’Brien. When key players such as Watson, J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus are lost for a long period of time it is hard to replace them. Houston should have a better season in 2018 and this could be the result of retaining O’Brien.
With the exception of this past season, the Texans have experienced consistent success under O’Brien. One bad season is not enough to move on to a different head coach. O’Brien has shown that he can lead this team to successful seasons. With the current Texans roster foundation is not out of question to be successful next season.