At his introductory press conference on Friday, Texans coach Bill O’Brien said he would meet with the club’s current assistant coaches starting tomorrow.
However, there’s a report suggesting a former NFL head coach could be among the prime candidates to become the Texans’ new defensive coordinator.
On Friday, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle said to not “be surprised” if former Browns and Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel is the Texans’ defensive coordinator in 2014.
Crennel, 66, was the Chiefs’ head coach in 2012, and he’s coordinated defenses in Kansas City, New England and Cleveland. While Crennel and O’Brien didn’t work together in New England, there is an obvious connection, with both having worked in major coaching roles on Bill Belichick’s staff.
Crennel has run the 3-4 scheme as his base defensive front in various stops. The Texans employed a similar scheme with coordinator Wade Phillips in 2013.
Phillips has said he would be open to remaining with the Texans. Also, Texans owner Robert C. McNair said Friday that he thought “the world” of Phillips, according to Stephanie Stradley of Chron.com, but McNair reportedly indicated O’Brien would make the call on the coordinator role.
Crennel signed a three-year contract with Kansas City in 2012, so were he to join Houston, any remaining compensation from the Chiefs would be offset by any Texans compensation for the year.