Unbelievably, former Houston head coach Lovie Smith announced his return to the team
tartadium. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports Purchase Licensing Rights from Troy Taormina, opens new tab
January 9th: Following the team’s season finale on Sunday, the Houston Texans fired head coach Lovie Smith, capping a one-year tenure with a 3-13-1 record.
With a Hail Mary touchdown and a season-high amount of points, the Texans overcame the Indianapolis Colts 32–31 to send Smith out on top.
The Texans dropped to second place behind the Chicago Bears (3-14) despite winning, which cost them the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
David Culley, who had a 4-13 record in his only season in Houston, had been replaced by Smith, 64, a seasoned head coach for three NFL teams. Smith was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach for the Texans in 2021.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio posted a statement on the team’s website and Twitter account on Sunday night. “On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Lovie Smith for everything he has contributed to our team over the last two seasons as a coach and a leader,” Caserio said.
Advertisement: Click to proceed
“We’re always assessing our football program, and I think this is the right move for us right now. Building an extensive and competitive program that can maintain success over an extended period of time is my responsibility. Even though we’re not there yet, I have faith in the future of our football program because of the McNair family’s support and the resources at our disposal.”
With the Bears (2004–12), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014–15), and Texans (2015–16), Smith has a career record of 92–100-1. When the Bears lost to the Colts in the Super Bowl in 2005, he was named the NFL Coach of the Year.
Cal McNair, the CEO of the Texans, released a statement on Sunday night that stated, “Nick Caserio and I spoke with Lovie Smith tonight and informed him that we will be moving in a different direction as an organization.” “I value the work that Coach Smith and his family have done over the past two seasons.
We appreciate his leadership and moral qualities, and we hope the best for him in the future.Even though we acknowledge that the outcomes have not lived up to our expectations, we remain dedicated to creating a program that results in long-term, sustainable success. We should have a team that the city and its supporters can be proud of. Throughout this process, I will collaborate with Nick Caserio, and I have no doubt that we will identify the ideal leader for our football team.”
With daily access to billions of people worldwide, Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the largest multimedia news provider in the world. Professionals can access business, financial, national, and international news from Reuters through desktop terminals, international media outlets, industry events, and direct consumer access.
