As the NFL regular season moves towards its conclusion, there are two types of teams. They are those preparing for the playoffs and those preparing for the next season. Yet they both have some similarities. In particular, this time of year starts the game-within-the-game: the great coaching shuffle. For those teams that aren’t playoff-bound, they are likely to jettison personnel. In this case, that generally means firing coaches. By doing that, this creates new job opening. Historically, that means that the teams that didn’t
make it to the playoff chase are going to fill their open positions by raiding the ranks of the playoff teams, especially their assistants. The hot-shot coordinator of the playoff-bound team of today is likely the head coach of tomorrow.
By virtue of their current 9-2 run, the Texans find themselves firmly in the playoff chase. With their percentage chance to make the playoffs ranging between 80 and 98 percent, mid-January football seems a certainty for the Texans. However, there is also the chance that several on the Texans’ coaching staff might find themselves sought-after commodities on the open NFL job markets. This would not be a completely new phenomenon for this iteration of Houston. Going 29-22 over 2+ seasons, to include 2 Division Titles and 2 playoff wins will do that to an organization. In 2023, then offensive-coordinator Bobby Slowik found himself a popular man, interviewing for the head coaching job for at least two organizations. He did not get those jobs, and well, the less said about his performance in 2024 and what befell the Texans’ offense, the better. From this Houston Texans’ coaching staff, likely those that lead the rather ferocious defense will get those interview calls. The 2025 Texans rank #1 in the points and total yards allowed. That many of these performances came against teams like the LA Rams, the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs only enhance the reputation of those defensive coaches.
Foremost among the most sought after Texans’ coaches would be current defensive coordinator Matt Burke. He has been the defensive coordinator the entire time under the Ryans regime. However, his stock rose significantly when Ryans turned over defensive play-calling to Burke before the Titans game, when the Texans entered that game 0-3. While the defense wasn’t bad before that move, Ryans’ decision seems like a no-brainer now. The team is 9-2 since, with the defense surrendering more that 20 points only twice in that stretch. The long-time defensive coach has never gone beyond a defensive coordinator role, but if the Texans’ defense continues this level of play, Burke might get a few calls to interview for a head coaching gig. Maybe he is not the QB guru, which tends to be the top target for HC hires, but that won’t stop calls to the Most Interesting Defensive Coordinator in the World.
It is not just the DC that is up for a coaching promotion. The position coaches, such as Defensive Line coach Rod White and Secondary coach Dino Vasso might be up for some open defensive coordinator positions, especially for those teams that will see their own coordinators leave for those head coaching gigs. If Burke is selected for a head coaching position, then maybe one of these in-house coaches gets the call to take the DC headset. Given the talent expected to return and the mindset of this current regime, that would be a fine job title change.
Yet, you can’t completely rule out other coaches getting a call for an interview. While the special teams may not have been as dominant this year as they have been in the past couple of seasons, a coach like Frank Ross might be a good option for head coach interviews. Usually, special teams coaches don’t get calls like offensive and defensive coordinators, but coaches like Mike Ditka and John Harbaugh started out as special teams coordinators before they got their head coaching gigs. Seemed to work out for their organizations they went to (for Ditka, think Chicago…we don’t discuss whatever that was in New Orleans).
The offensive staff might not be at the top of most call lists, but you can’t simply rule it out either. Caley’s uneven (at best) performance doesn’t seem likely to get him many interviews, but if Houston’s offensive performance improves over the next few weeks, perhaps he gets a call or two? Maybe some of the offensive position coaches (not associated with the offensive line) might get a call for an open offensive coordinator position. Perhaps QB coach Jerrod Johnson’s work with Mills and Stroud to overcome a porous offensive line could put him in line for a future job promotion. Still, it is more likely that if any offensive coaches leave the team, it won’t be for NFL-level promotions.
Then there is the wild card: Head Coach DeMeco Ryans. Granted, there wasn’t that much talk of firing him when the team started 0-3, and no one is really talking about firing him now. However, his inclusion on this list relates to the possible actions of his alma mater, The University of Alabama. At this time, Kalen DeBoer helms the squad. However, his future there is not a given. His name got bandied about when jobs like Penn State came open. With the sudden job opening in Michigan, which is considered more a natural fit for DeBoer vs. Alabama, who’s to say that he doesn’t bolt after Bama’s playoff run? Then again, after the pasting that Alabama put on the Sooners, that may not be as viable an option right now. Still, stranger things can and do happen in college football. Should the Alabama job open in the next couple of weeks, few would be shocked if the well-monied Roll Tide boosters don’t at least give Ryans a call. When Nick Saban retired from Bama in early 2023, Ryans was one name that came up as a possible replacement. While Houston is in no hurry to part ways with Ryans, could Bama make him the proverbial offer he couldn’t refuse?
Thus, even as Houston fights for playoff positioning and the chance to bring home the city’s first Lombardi trophy, don’t ignore the sub-games of the coaching carousel. It will snare many playoff assistants, and teams like Houston, regardless of their January run, will face the prospect of some of their coaches leaving to take bigger and better jobs. If nothing else, it will give Houston fans more off-season topics to discuss.
