AFC Notes: Lou Anarumo, Liam Coen, Bobby Slowik, Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Chiefs HC Andy Reid said Indianapolis is getting a coach in DC Lou Anarumo who excels at in-game adjustments and is a great defensive mind.

“He has done a great job against us with in-game adjustments, and I think most of the guys in the league on the offensive side would tell you the same thing,” Reid said, via The Athletic. “His adjustments are strong and spot on normally.”

Anarumo was let go from Cincinnati after the team failed to make the playoffs and saw them give up over 28 points per game.

“All of this starts and ends with me,” Anarumo said. “How we play is certainly my responsibility. The players have done a fantastic job of preparing, practicing with energy, giving us our best. Proud of the way we’ve gone about that. I need to do a better job of making sure it shows up on Sundays. I’ve got to do better.”

Colts GM Chris Ballard admitted that some players weren’t playing hard enough last year and he needed to do a better job of creating competition.

“I didn’t do a good enough job creating enough competition throughout the roster and (keeping) everybody on edge,” Ballard said. “There has to be real stress within that locker room, an uncomfortability that, ‘If I don’t play well enough, my ass will not be on the field playing.’”

Ballard said without hesitation that he’ll be able to use the team’s cap space to upgrade the roster this offseason.

“We have to do a better job identifying the free agents that we want to sign and then being able to close the deal on them,” Ballard said. “And that’s up to me. It really is. … Mr. Irsay, he’ll let me do what I need to do.”

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Liam Coen released a statement on joining the team, via Adam Schefter.

“Becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an opportunity of a lifetime and one that I am going to run with to instill a championship culture and winning tradition here in Duval.  This doesn’t happen without the support and opportunities that my family and I have been afforded throughout my career, especially during this past season in Tampa Bay.  We thank Todd Bowles for his continued support and the entire Buccaneers organization for the experience and know they will have success ahead. Most of all, we are grateful to Shad Khan for his belief in what we will bring to the Jaguars.  We will work tirelessly to reward his confidence.  As head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, I will hire a first-class coaching staff, establish a distinctive and effective brand of football on both sides of the ball, and our players will live for the black and teal.  Shad and Jaguars fans should expect nothing less, and that’s what we plan to deliver and more.  My wife Ashley and our family are honored to be here and a part of the Jacksonville community.  We are ready to get to work.”

Texans

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans weighed in on the team’s decision to not retain OC Bobby Slowik in 2025.

“I think overall with Bobby, I saw some growth,” Ryans said, via Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com. “I saw some improvement throughout the year. Overall, offensively, we have to improve. It wasn’t where we wanted to be. There were challenges throughout the year, that is every year. You have challenges, you have ups and downs where you try to figure out the course, who we have and how to make it work. We have to improve. I definitely think he has a lot of success coming his way and I’ve been honored to have it with him and hopefully keep it going. Definitely on Bobby’s side and appreciative of all of things he has taught me and how great he has been in my career so far.”

Two major pieces of the team’s offense, RB Joe Mixon and QB C.J. Stroud seemed to imply that the players could have done a better job and that Slowik wasn’t to blame. Stroud added that he wasn’t interested in bouncing from coordinator to coordinator. 

“The way we came together at the end of the year, I felt it could have been a little more of focus on us,” Mixon said. “No matter what is called our there, whether run or pass, it’s up to the players to make that thing go. I think Slow did a great job with that of executing and I think he really honed in on the details toward the end of the year and I also felt like everyone bought into what we were doing. I think everybody gelled at the right time. We came up short. I think we really felt like everybody honed in on whatever it takes to win. You’re a competitor. Sometimes, stats matter. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t a great player. Sometimes, the stats can take away from the team. Once we came together at the right time, everybody bought in and whatever it took to win, everybody was starting to do that. We took that right direction after Baltimore when we lost on Christmas, everybody took initiative, it was really a reality check.”

“I don’t know how people can bounce from coordinator to coordinator,” Stroud commented. “I can’t imagine. That’s probably really tough. So, I definitely don’t recommend that. I definitely think if you can find a rapport with a guy and build that, do it to the best of your ability. And yeah, it would be great to have three years with that same scheme, that same type of Xs and Os and things like that would be great.”