The Houston Texans have settled on Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach David Culley as their new head coach, according to multiple media outlets on Wednesday.
It would be Culley’s first time as a head coach after 27 years in coaching. He was also the Ravens’ wide receivers coach.
Houston and Baltimore are negotiating for Culley to leave the Ravens, the NFL Network reported, although the network’s Ian Rapoport said on Twitter that the hiring will take place.
“To be clear: The #Texans have offered the job to #Ravens assistant head coach David Culley and he’ll accept it. Houston has a new coach,” he tweeted.
The focus had narrowed this week to Culley and Buffalo assistant head coach Leslie Frazier, whom the Texans brought in for an interview on Tuesday, while Culley was interviewed Wednesday.
Speculation on Culley heated up when he didn’t leave Houston right away, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, who cited sources in tweeting that Culley “is remaining in Houston overnight for additional meetings.”
The Texans’ decision on a head coach has come under extra focus because franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson has made known his unhappiness regarding player and front office moves in the last few seasons.
Examples include the trade of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after the 2019 season and the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio this month without Watson being offered input, when he said he was promised that he would be involved, and had even offered suggestions for hires at the position.
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Some reports have indicated that Watson might want out of Houston.
Culley would join the Miami Dolphins’ Brian Flores and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin as the only Black head coaches in the league.
The Texans went 4-12 this season, and an 0-4 start cost head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien his job in early October. They had gone a combined 21-11 over the two previous seasons, including back-to-back postseason appearances.
Culley has spent the last two seasons with the Ravens, and his resume includes stops in Buffalo (two seasons), Kansas City (four seasons), Philadelphia (14 seasons), Pittsburgh (three seasons), and Tampa Bay (two seasons).
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–Field Level Media