(SportsRadio 610) - Lovie Smith was fired shortly after arriving back in Houston following the Texans' 32-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on the regular season finale Sunday.
Davis Mills, who engineered his third game winning drive of the season, said he learned of the news via social media.
From his locker Monday morning, Mills said he’d always be appreciative of Smith.
"I appreciate everything that he has done for me as a coach and as a person," Mills said. "It's tough when something happens that way. He had done a lot of great things around here this past season. I am excited to see where he ends up next. I know he will do good things."
As far as the direction the team is headed as it entered into the most pivotal off-season in the franchise’s 21-year history, Mills is optimistic.
"I am excited to see what (general manager Nick Caserio) has in store this off-season because I know he is going to bring in the right people," Mills said. "We are excited to continue building a great franchise around here."
Of course, Mills’ future with the team is in question as well, whether he believes it or not, as the Texans prepare for the April draft holding a total of 11 draft choices, including the number two overall selection which presumably is earmarked for a franchise quarterback.
Brandin Cooks abstained from discussing the firing of Lovie Smith, saying he didn’t want to get caught up in things out of his control.
“I don’t want to get my mind wrapped up on why, or why’s,” Cooks said. “As a player, that’s kind of not our role. Obviously they see something and I’ll kind of let Cal or Nick talk about that.”
With two years remaining in his contract, his future within the organization is in limbo as well.
General manager Nick Caserio failed to trade Cooks ahead of the trade deadline this past November which clearly upset Cooks, who lashed out via cryptic tweet on Twitter.
Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard, who will enter his fourth season in the league in 2023, will be playing for his fourth different head coach.
“We’ve been here before, at this point we’ve just got to move forward,” Greenard said. “Hopefully whoever comes in, we’ll just keep playing for him and work hard. I’m just worried about getting healthy, getting to the off season as much as everybody else should be doing at this time, and just go from there.”
Greenard, coming off a 2021 campaign in which he led the team with eight sacks, saw his production take a dip and missed nine games this season due to a calf injury. He enters the final year of his rookie contract this upcoming season.
Similar to Greenard, Texans right tackle, Tytus Howard has one-year left on his rookie contract, a fifth-year option which was exercised ahead of this past season, says he’s ready to see what the future holds and will back whatever direction Caserio takes them.
"Coach Lovie has been a great coach, has a great history of coaching and I’m excited for what we’ve got for the future of this team," Howard said. "We’ve got to support Nick in whatever decision he makes."
One of the brightest spots during a dark time within the organization this season has been rookie running back Dameon Pierce.
The former Florida Gator had his season cut short due to a high ankle sprain suffered in the Texans' week 14 loss to the Cowboys, finished the season with 939 rushing yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry with four touchdowns.
“Football aside, Lovie as a person as a mentor, especially to me early on since that one rookie mini camp, that’s been somebody I’ve been relying upon heavily,” Pierce said. “For information, guidance and just overall. My relationship with him outside of football is not going to be tarnished by whether he’s the head coach here or whoever else it may be. Coach Lovie is a great guy.”
Pierce made it a point to recognize the efforts by Smith did not go unnoticed from the players' perspective, particularly his.
"I know personally that coach Lovie came to work everyday and had our best interest at hand and wanted to build a winning culture here before he left," Pierce said.
Shaun Bijani has spent the last 16 years covering the Houston sports scene for SportsRadio 610. Follow him on Twitter @ShaunBijani.
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