Texans

Texans Targeting Lovie Smith & Josh McCown For New HC David Culley’s Staff

January 27, 2021

Tom Pelissero reports that the Texans are also targeting Josh McCown and Lovie Smith as assistant coaches on new HC David Culley‘s coaching staff.

Houston is also expected to retain OC Tim Kelly.

Texans conducted interviews earlier this week with McCown for their head-coaching job but he’d be an assistant on Houston’s staff under Culley and Kelly. (NFLTR)

Last month, Smith reportedly received interest around the league as a defensive coordinator and would theoretically fill that role in Houston. (NFLTR)

Smith, 62, 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.

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.

McCown, 41, is a former third-round pick of the Cardinals back in 2002. He played for several teams including the Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, Panthers, 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers and Browns before signing a one-year, $6 million contract with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2017.

The Jets brought McCown back on a one-year contract worth $10 million for the 2018 season. McCown later returned before joining the Eagles on a one-year contract last August.

The Eagles signed McCown out of retirement and added him to their practice squad at the start of the season. Houston later added him to their active roster in November.

For his career, McCown has completed 60.2 percent of his passes for 17,727 yards, 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions. He has also rushed for 1,105 yards and 13 touchdowns.