Bobby Slowik's winding path to the Texans Offensive Coordinator position took an interesting 3-year pit stop.
From 2014 through 2016, Slowik worked as an analyst at Pro Football Focus. Sandwiched around that time, Slowik rose through the coaching ranks in Washington, starting out as a video assistant in 2010 before becoming an assistant on the defensive side of the ball for the next three years.
After his stint at PFF, Slowik joined the 49ers as a defensive assistant in 2017 and transitioned to the offensive side of the ball in 2019. His time in San Francisco culminated as the Offensive Passing Game Coordinator in 2022.
The PFF detour was an atypical stop in any coaching path, but it's one for which Slowik is thankful.
"That was definitely unique," Slowik said in a Wednesday press conference. "I don't think there are many coaches that went that direction. I learned a lot in my time there. They have phenomenal people at Pro Football Focus."
Slowik explained the way PFF operated was eye-opening and educational.
"They almost tried to take what I was used to watching as far as subjectivity and objectivity and flipped it on its head," Slowik said. "I learned a lot. There are many different ways to look at the game. There are many different ways to break it down. A lot of different angles you can take as far as how you splice it up."
The new offensive play-caller wants the Texans unit to be fast, physical and tough. Slowik will go about that with a perspective that was partially influenced—and changed, even—by his time spent with PFF.
"It was beneficial to me getting a different vantage point," Slowik said. "I always think different versions of information is helpful. It kind of helps shape who you are as a coach and as a person."
Slowik and the Texans can begin their offseason conditioning program on Monday, April 3, which is two weeks earlier than teams that don't have a new head coach.
