Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is heading into his fourth season as the captain of the ship, and he sounds as confident as ever. Rightfully so, too, after guiding the club to the best three-year stretch in franchise history.
Needless to say, Ryans' impact is not only felt within the walls of NRG Stadium but across the NFL as a whole. His addition to the league's prestigious Competition Committee for 2026 validates that belief. Houston general manager Nick Caserio expressed as much on the Feb. 26 episode of the Pat McAfee Show.
"Every team's gotta hire the individual, and it's a leadership position in the end. So, handling the team, handling the players, you're involved in all facets of it," Caserio said. "Obviously, DeMeco [Ryans] has an expertise in defense, but I think he showed a lot of humility this year. He passed the play calling off to Matt Burke, and Matt did a great job, you know, so he can take more of a big picture approach. I mean, the head coach ultimately is responsible for everything that a team does."
Texans are grateful for DeMeco Ryans' transformative presence in the franchise
Ryans has been a culture setter since he first joined the Texans in 2023, and the team's meteoric rise since is a reflection of that. While 2025 didn't end how many had hoped and/or prognosticated, Houston has the right man to help the team finally get over the proverbial "hump." And by the sound of it, Caserio couldn't agree more.
"We're fortunate to have the head coach that we do," Caserio stated. "There's no other coach that we'd rather have running our organization. There's no other coach I want to work with. I'm glad that [Ryans] and I are able to work together on a day-to-day basis."
Praise aside, the work doesn't stop for Ryans, though. He and the Texans must continue to build on the momentum they've captured over the past few campaigns. Nevertheless, his recent comments suggest there's no shortage of internal confidence about finally getting past the Divisional Round in the playoffs.
"The cool part about it is, we have room to improve, and we have a good core of guys," Ryan voiced during an interview with NFL Network's Judy Battista at the annual Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "... Excited to see how it all plays out."