For the fourth time in as many seasons, the Houston Texans will have a new head coach in 2023. We know it won’t be Lovie Smith, as he’s already been let go, and now the Texans are casting a much wider net heading into the interview process.
There are several strong candidates, and Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon appears to be sticking out as a popular choice to be interviewed league-wide. So far, Gannon has only officially been linked to the Texans vacancy, but all indications are that he’s viewed as a strong candidate to actually earn the gig.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Gannon is actually currently viewed as the favorite to become the next Texans head coach.
So far, the Texans have interviewed four candidates, with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, and now Gannon all speaking with Houston’s management team.
Yet, it appears Gannon is the one who has impressed the Texans the most thus far.
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Jonathan Gannon is a rising star
While we have no idea what was said or how Gannon managed to sweet-talk the Texans in their interview, we do know that his Eagles defense has drastically improved in his two seasons as their coordinator.
Prior to taking the gig, the Eagles ranked 20th in points allowed. In Gannon’s first year on the case, the Philly defense improved to 18th, but this past season, they allowed the eighth-fewest points per game.
Gannon is viewed as a rising star in coaching circles, and being that he’s still just 39, he could be set to stay on the sidelines as an NFL head coach for multiple decades. For a team like the Texans, he could be an ideal hire.
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