Coaches | Houston Texans - HoustonTexans.com

Bill Davis, who enters his 29th season in the NFL, joins the Texans coaching staff in 2024 as the team's linebackers coach after spending the 2022 season in the same position with the Arizona Cardinals.

Bill Davis, who enters his 29th season in the NFL, joins the Texans coaching staff in 2024 as the team's linebackers coach after spending the 2022 season in the same position with the Arizona Cardinals.

During his third coaching stint in Arizona (2019-22), Davis worked closely with Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who served as the Cardinals defensive line coach in 2022. He previously worked as Arizona's defensive coordinator (2009-10) and linebackers coach (2007-08).

Davis has 28 years of coaching experience in the NFL, including seven seasons as a defensive coordinator with Arizona, Philadelphia and San Francisco. He has worked with nine (Arizona, Pittsburgh, Carolina, Cleveland, Green Bay, Atlanta, New York Giants, San Francisco, Philadelphia) NFL teams during his coaching career and helped 12 different players combine for 17 Pro Bowl selections.

Under Davis' guidance, Cardinals LB Zaven Collins finished third on the team with 100 tackles (63 solo) while adding 2.0 sacks, an interception (returned for a touchdown), 11 tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, a forced fumble and six passes defensed. Collins' pick-six was one-of-five return touchdowns by the Cardinals defense in 2022, which ranked second in the league. Additionally, the Cardinals defense finished eighth in the league with 78 points off turnovers.

In 2021, Arizona's defense ranked in the top-10 (No. 8) in offensive points allowed (366), No. 1 in fumble recoveries (14) and No. 3 in rushing touchdowns allowed (10). LB Jordan Hicks totaled 116 tackles and 4.0 sacks, becoming one of just two players in the NFL with 100-plus tackles and 4.0-plus sacks (Eric Kendricks) last season. It was his third consecutive 100-tackle campaign.

In 2020, the Cardinals had an NFL-high 18 players who recorded at least 1.0 sack and an NFL-leading 12 players who had 2.0-plus sacks, finishing the season with 48.0 sacks, the fourth-most in the league. After finishing third in the NFL with a career-high 150 tackles in 2019, Hicks tied for the team lead with 119 stops. Fellow LB De'Vondre Campbell posted 99 tackles, and both Hicks and Campbell added a pair of sacks.

Prior to re-joining the Cardinals, he spent two seasons (2017-18) as a linebackers coach at Ohio State after working as an analyst in 2016. While at Ohio State, Davis helped the Buckeyes to Big Ten championships in 2017 and 2018, a Rose Bowl victory over Washington after the 2018 season and a spot in the college football playoff following the 2017 season. All nine of the linebackers Davis coached at Ohio State during his two-year tenure made it to the NFL.

Prior to his tenure at Ohio State, Davis spent three years as the defensive coordinator with the Eagles (2013-15). With Philadelphia in 2014, he helped the Eagles defense tie for second in the NFL in sacks (49), rank fifth in rush yards per attempt and tie for sixth in takeaways (28), including an NFL-high 23 forced fumbles. In 2015, DT Fletcher Cox and S Malcolm Jenkins were both selected to the Pro Bowl while LB Connor Barwin was selected in 2014.

Davis spent two seasons (2011-12) as the linebackers coach with Cleveland, his second stint with the Browns after working as the assistant linebackers coach in 1999. Davis went to Cleveland following four seasons with the Cardinals, including his final two years as Arizona's defensive coordinator. He came to Arizona as linebackers coach in 2007 and was part of the Cardinals Super Bowl XLIII team in 2008 before being elevated to defensive coordinator in 2009.

In his first year as defensive coordinator with the Cardinals in 2009, Davis' unit allowed 325 points, the fifth-lowest total for the franchise since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978. The Cardinals also had 21 interceptions during the regular season, the team's highest total since intercepting 23 passes in 1994. Arizona's defense finished 6th in the NFL with 43 sacks, the third-highest total (59 in 1983, 55 in 1984) for the team since sacks became an official stat in 1982. S Adrian Wilson, DT Darnell Dockett, S Antrel Rolle and CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie were all selected to the Pro Bowl that season.

In his two seasons as a linebackers coach for the Cardinals (2007-08), LBs Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes both eclipsed 100 tackles each year, with Dansby leading the team in 2007 (117 tackles) and setting a new career-high in 2008 (128 tackles). Hayes' 107 tackles in 2008 marked the third season that he recorded over 100 tackles during his career. During Davis' first season in Arizona, LB Calvin Pace had more than 100 tackles for the first time in his career (106) while also collecting 6.5 sacks to finish second on the team.

Davis' first tenure in Arizona followed two seasons as the 49ers defensive coordinator (2006-07). In 2006, CB Walt Harris was selected to his first Pro Bowl after tying CB Charles Woodson for the NFC lead with eight interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Harris also led San Francisco with five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. LB Brandon Moore had a breakout season with the team, posting a career-high 114 tackles (67 solos) and leading the team with 6.5 sacks.

Prior to the 49ers, Davis spent one season (2004) as linebackers coach for the New York Giants. Before that, he spent three seasons as Atlanta's linebackers coach and helped LB Keith Brooking earn three consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

After beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State, Davis joined the NFL in 1992 as a defensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers under Hall of Fame head coach Bill Cowher. With a playing and coaching career primarily on the offensive side of the ball, Davis worked for three seasons with the Steelers. As a defensive assistant, Davis sat in meeting rooms with a list of former head coaches including Cowher, Dom Capers, Marvin Lewis and Dick LeBeau.

Following Pittsburgh, Davis spent four seasons (1995-98) as the outside linebackers coach with the Carolina Panthers under Capers. In 1996, LBs Kevin Greene and Lamar Lathon finished first and second in the NFL in sacks with 14.5 and 13.5, respectively. Each made the Pro Bowl and the second-year Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship Game. After four years in Carolina, Davis spent one year in Cleveland (1999) and the 2000 season with Green Bay as a defensive assistant/defensive line.

Davis gained valuable experience as a ball boy under Dick Vermeil (Philadelphia) and Don Shula (Miami) while his father, Bill, Sr., served 13 years in the NFL, including six years as Cleveland's VP of Player Personnel.

A native of Youngstown, OH, Davis was a college quarterback and wide receiver at the University of Cincinnati from 1985-88. He also spent time in training camp as a wide receiver with the Miami Dolphins. He earned a bachelor's degree from Cincinnati in 1989 and a master's degree from Michigan State in 1991.

Davis and his wife, Sherry, have four daughters, Monica, Brooke and twins Grace and Ava, and a son, Billy.

Pro Bowl Players Coached (12): DE Chandler Jones (2021), DT Fletcher Cox (2015), S Malcolm Jenkins (2015), LB Connor Barwin (2014), S Adrian Wilson (2009), DT Darnell Dockett (2009), S Antrel Rolle (2009), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (2009), CB Walt Harris (2006), LB Keith Brooking (2001-03), LB Kevin Greene (1996), LB Lamar Lathon (1996)