The Houston Texans on Monday became the penultimate team to hop off the NFL's wild coaching carousel, as they announced that defensive coordinator Lovie Smith has been hired as their next head coach. Smith will be replacing David Culley, who was fired in January, less than one year after he was hired.
Smith's hiring was surprising. Last week, he wasn't listed as one of Houston's final three candidates, and he didn't emerge as a legitimate candidate in NFL reports until Sunday night. Under Smith's watch this past season, the Texans' defense ranked 31st in average yards allowed, 27th in average points allowed, and tied for 10th in total takeaways.
"Lovie Smith has joined the circus. Let's take it a step further: Lovie Smith is joining the rodeo. And that's what the Texans are -- nothing but a rodeo. But there aren't any bulls out there, they're just a bunch of clowns," JR said during the JR SportBrief show on Monday. "What the Texans should be is a reputable football organization and respected team. But the Texans are, unfortunately, a joke. And the first thing that Lovie Smith needs is talent...
"I just hope they don't put this man out there to crash and burn. The Texans did the right thing, hiring a veteran coach. But the Texans are still a dumpster fire. And my concern is, they might be moving in the right direction down the road, but that dumpster is still in flames while it moves. And I hope that Smith, over the next several years, doesn't get burned. I'm not confident that will be the case. The Texans are still a dumpster fire, rolling down the road."
Smith has spent 15 seasons in the NFL as a coordinator or head coach. The 63-year-old is best known for his time as head coach of the Chicago Bears (2004-2012), during which he went 81-63 across nine seasons and reached a Super Bowl. Smith's tenure didn't end on a high note, however, as he missed the NFC playoffs five times in his final six seasons. Prior to joining Houston's staff in 2021, he spent four-plus seasons as the head coach for Illinois.
JR's complete thoughts on Smith and the Texans' future can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.