McNair on Smith termination: Texans 'moving in a different direction'

The Houston Texans have another head coach vacancy after the franchise terminated Lovie Smith on Sunday. 

Houston-based media outlets reported that the Texans made the move after the team eked out a 32-31 season-ending victory against the Indianapolis Colts to end the 2022 season with a 3-13-1 record. 

A loss would’ve guaranteed the Texans the top pick in April’s National Football League (NFL) Draft, which is presumably Alabama quarterback and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.

Texans chair and chief executive officer (CEO) Cal McNair said in a franchise-issued statement that he and general manager (GM) Nick Caserio told the 64-year-old Smith that the organization was “moving in a different direction,” according to a report on the team’s website. 

“I appreciate Coach Smith and his entire family for their contributions over the last two seasons,” McNair said, according to the franchise. “We are grateful for his leadership and character, and we wish him the best moving forward.” 

The Texans dismissed Smith nearly a year after they hired him to succeed David Culley, who was also fired by the team after the 2021 season.

Caserio said in his own statement that parting ways with Smith “is the best decision for us at this time,” the report said. 

“It is my responsibility to build a comprehensive and competitive program that can sustain success over a long period of time,” he said. 

According to an ESPN article that was run by Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, McNair said that he’ll work with Caserio “to find the right leader” for the Texans.

ESPN reported that Smith, whose other head coaching stints include Tampa Bay and Chicago, initially expected to return to the Texans in 2023. 

The just-concluded campaign was another year of growing pains for the team that was once considered an upstart contender a decade ago. 

The Texans hold the second and 12th overall picks in the draft.