Texans owner Bob McNair knows he has a stable, productive offense led by coach Gary Kubiak. That’s why firing Kubiak would be such a difficult decision, despite Houston’s uniquely frustrating season.
McNair spoke to the team and the media on Thursday and did not sound like someone ready to blow up the team’s structure. McNair seemed especially buoyed by positive comments he got from colleague’s at the league’s owner’s meetings.
“I was shocked,” McNair said. “They said [Monday night’s game] was one of the most impressive comebacks they’d ever seen. Frankly, they were all pulling for us after the way we came back. They were heartbroken because they knew how upset I was. You don’t see it happening with other teams. I was amazed by it.”
(Of course, the owners may have also been pulling for the Texans because they trailed the Ravens in the AFC playoff standings.)
There are a lot of reasons for McNair not to make a change. We’re not sure that other owners encouraging McNair would be high on the list. McNair said they would make “some changes” at year’s end, but that they were “very close” to having the team they wanted.
The full comments are worth a read. I wasn’t sure how seriously to take them, but the players got a very clear message.
“I think with him saying that, it lets you know about the future,” safety Bernard Pollard said. “I’ve never once doubted the way coach Kubiak has directed this team.”
McNair has surely had doubts. But it sounds like the owner believes his best move it stand pat at head coach. Despite Houston being stuck as a “very close” team for years, we tend to agree.