The NFL coaching cycle for 2023 is already well begun. Several teams skipped the summer to get a good start on their next search, but now that the regular season is over, more are joining the race. The Texans fired Lovie Smith late Sunday, nearly a calendar year after dismissing David Culley, who also lasted only one season as the team’s head coach.
The #Texans have fired coach Lovie Smith, per me and @MikeGarafolo. Another one-and-done in Houston. pic.twitter.com/1Ld7PxCGUq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 9, 2023
The decision came just hours after the team blew the first overall pick by defeating the Colts in a stunning comeback. The Texans now have fired back-to-back coaches after just one year, having ousted David Culley last January.
Smith, who was appointed as Culley’s defensive coordinator in 2021, was promoted to the top role last summer after an exhaustive interview process and went 3-13-1 on the job. He stated ahead of Sunday’s regular-season finale that he planned to return in 2023, and while leading the Texans to two wins in their final three games, he also gave up the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft.
Despite leading a competitive defense for much of the season, Smith was never able to elevate an undermanned offense, and he hasn’t won a game since 2012. “We understand the totality of the season on what’s going on,” Smith said after the win over the Colts. “Do I expect to be back? Yes, I expect to be back.”
“We are grateful for [Smith’s] leadership and character, and we wish him the best moving forward,” chairman and CEO Cal McNair said in a statement. “While we understand the results have not been what we had hoped for, we are committed to building a program that produces long-term, sustainable success. Our fans and city deserve a team that they can be proud of.”
McNair said he will work with Caserio to “find the right leader for our football team.” The Texans now begin their search for their fourth head coach in four seasons. “I’m constantly evaluating our football operation and believe this is the best decision for us at this time,” general manager Nick Caserio said in a statement. “It is my responsibility to build a comprehensive and competitive program that can sustain success over a long period of time.
We aren’t there right now, however, with the support of the McNair family and the resources available to us, I’m confident in the direction of our football program moving forward.”
