Texans Moving Toward Deal With DC Lovie Smith As Head Coach

According to Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, the Texans are moving toward naming DC Lovie Smith their head coach for 2022. 

They add no deal is done yet but momentum is building. Jay Glazer also tweeted all signs point to Smith being the next head coach of the Texans. 

The Texans were reportedly down to former NFL QB Josh McCown, Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon, and former Dolphins HC Brian Flores for their head coach vacancy.

Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL seems to have thrown a wrench in Houston’s plans and Smith emerged as a candidate for the job this past weekend. 

Reports from Sunday mentioned Gannon was informed that he’s out of the running for the job and multiple reports have since said the Texans will not be hiring McCown as their next head coach. 

Smith, 63, began his coaching career back in 1980. He worked for a number of colleges before the Buccaneers hired him as their linebackers coach in 1996.

Smith was eventually hired as the Rams’ defensive coordinator before taking the Bears’ coaching job in 2004. He spent nine years in Chicago before the Buccaneers hired him in 2014.

After just two seasons with the Bucs, Smith was fired and eventually hired as the head coach at Illinois. The Texans hired Smith as their defensive coordinator last year. 

During his NFL coaching career, Smith led the Bears and Buccaneers to a record of 89-87 (50.6 percent), which includes three playoff appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl in 2006.

At Illinois, Smith’s teams produced a record of 17-39.