Bill O'Brien's time as general manager and head coach is finished, and Romeo Crennel is now the interim head coach.
With a wealth of NFL experience as an assistant and head coach since the early 1980's, Crennel will now take over command of the team.
"I've always told myself that as long as I enjoy it and I still feel good, physically, then they might have to kick me out," Crennel said during an August press conference. "That's my mindset. I still enjoy the game, I enjoy the players, I enjoy the coaches. As long as it feels good to me, I'll continue to do it."
Crennel began 2020 as the associate head coach. He spent the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator. He was an associate head coach in 2017, after spending 2014 through 2016 as the defensive coordinator as well. Crennel was head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2005 through 2008, skippering them to 10 wins in 2007. He also was head coach of the Chiefs for three games in 2011 and all of 2012. Crennel won a pair of Super Bowl rings as an assistant with the Giants, and three more with the Patriots.
Before 2020 began, he was excited to see what his successor Anthony Weaver would do as the team's defensive coordinator.
"Anthony is a smart young man," Crennel said. "He really is. He's organized. He's thoughtful. That's the thing that I kind of look at. I know that he's a good football coach because I've seen him coach his position."
Crennel's 2016 defense finished the season with the fewest yards allowed per game in the NFL. Because of his knowledge, experience, personality and more, he's always connected well with Texans players on both sides of the ball, from established veterans down to rookies.
"I love RAC," defensive end J.J. Watt said. I've always said it, I've been very fortunate to have a guy like Wade Phillips early in my career and a guy like Romeo Crennel here these last few years. Those two guys are just incredible people, incredible minds, incredible experiences, and I've been very fortunate to be around them, to learn from them and to grow with them."
Crennel and the Texans will practice this week at the Houston Methodist Training Center, and they'll host the Jaguars at noon CT in NRG Stadium.
