David Culley just wasn’t given a real opportunity to prove his worth as the Houston Texans head coach. As longtime position coach in the NFL dating back to the late 1990’s, Culley was hired ahead of the 2021 season to take over a disastrous Texans’ team.
He’s now out of a job after less than a year. Multiple media reports indicate that Culley has been fired by the Texans after posting a 4-13 record during the 2021 season.
Culley, 66, did whatever was possible to keep Houston competitive in a season that saw star quarterback Deshaun Watson not play a single snap. Remember, Watson had requested a trade last off-season — only to be accused by north of 20 women of sexual misconduct.
Relying on rookie mid-round pick Davis Mills to start under center, David Culley kept the Texans pretty darn competitive. That included surprising wins over the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chagers.
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Houston Texans fire David Culley, leading to more questions than answers
Coaching one of the worst rosters in the NFL, Culley struggled to find consistent success. The Texans showed flashes at times. But weeks after general manager Nick Caserio refused to commit to Culley past this season, the hammer dropped after Week 18.
There’s now some major questions regarding the Texans’ direction under embattled owner Cal McNair. He’ll also face a ton of criticism for firing a minority head coach after just one season.
The obvious candidate to replace David Culley in Houston is New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has a built-in relationship with the aforementioned Caserio.
However, Houston’s ownership issues coupled with the cloudy future of Deshaun Watson under center could lead to some candidates taking a step back when it comes to the interview process. We’ll find out soon enough.