DeMeco Ryans is the headman in Houston these days. The current head coach of the Houston Texans, Ryans has already shown fans a glimpse of what's possible under his tenure. He's seen as a smart coach, with good schemes and an ability to relate with players. Not at all surprising, as this is Ryan's second stint with the Texans. His first was that of a player.
The former linebacker is making waves right now and has a chance to establish himself as one of the best coaches, not only in the NFL right now but in all of Houston Texans' history. A history that, while containing no Super Bowl winners, does have a few really strong candidates to be the most successful coach in team history.
Yet, who are those other coaches? Let's go through them starting from the beginning.
1. Dom Capers, 2002-2005 (18-46 record)
- No playoff appearances
Dom Capers was brought in to guide the Houston Texans in the first year of their existence and was a sound choice on paper. The Texans had one of the best expansion drafts in the history of the NFL and many figured that Capers would get the team competitive fast. After all, he took the Carolina Panthers to the NFC Championship game in just their second year of existence. Just a year prior, in the team's first year in existence, the team went 7-9, a record at the time for a first-year club in the NFL. Injuries to Tony Boselli and an up-and-down tenure from David Carr kept the Texans from succeeding.
2. Gary Kubiak, 2006-2013 (61-64 record)
- 2-2 playoff record in 2 post-season appearances).
- 2 AFC South Championships (2011, 2012)
A byproduct of the Mike Shannahan coaching tree, Gary Gubiak came to the Texans following a decade stint with the Denver Broncos. He was a hit with the Texans, where he spent most of eight seasons guiding the team. During his time with the team, he only had three losing seasons and saw the likes of Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson head to the Pro Bowl.