The Houston Texans hired David Culley to provide some stability in 2021.
The team was coming off a bad finish to the Bill O’Brien tenure and had a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson who wanted out.
Yet Culley seemed to manage this all well to lead the team to a 4-13 finish.
That is still a bad year, but fair given the circumstances.
Texans leadership thinks otherwise as Culley was fired Thursday afternoon.
From @NFLNetwork: The #Texans fired coach David Culley after just one season. pic.twitter.com/99g3IeAKLW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2022
The organization took a few days and ultimately decided they need to move in a different direction.
That has the entire NFL world reacting to this late firing following a competitive finish to the season for the Texans.
NFL World Reacts To The Texans Firing David Culley
There are two sides to the reaction.
One is people coming out in support of Culley for what he did all season.
The Texans are a clown show. David Culley did as well as he was going to do with that roster. He may have never become a good head coach but firing him after one season is ridiculous.
— Matt Albrecht (@MattAlbrecht10) January 13, 2022
I hope the Texans don’t win another game for firing David Culley after one year with that trash roster.
— shun (@flaugemayfield) January 13, 2022
David Culley didn’t get a chance.
— YomiBolo (@yomibolo) January 13, 2022
Another side is trying to figure out why the Texans made this decision near the end of the week.
Could it be to hire Brian Flores?
I'm going to guess Brian Flores ends up with the Texans. The NE ties are there. Plus, if Deshaun Watson rumors out of Miami were the result of Flores frustrations with Tua, it all makes sense!#NFL #Dolphins #Texans
— Max Avedisian (@TheFunkyRabbit) January 13, 2022
As was reported earlier this week by @RapSheet, Brian Flores was a “significant reason why Watson wanted Miami.”
If Houston brings in Flores, could their relationship be mended with Watson?
Could be a huge win for Nick Caserio.#Texans | #WeAreTexans | #NFL https://t.co/g4tZtunkrO
— Jason Pombo (@JasonPombo) January 13, 2022
Plot twist: Texans hire Brian Flores and deshaun Watson no longer wants to leave
— Hank Newhouse (@LukeNewhouse) January 13, 2022
Culley was put in an impossible spot and ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed there was no real long-term plan in place to keep him as head coach.
That brings into question why they hired him in the first place.
Houston essentially just chalked up 2021 as a lost year from the start.
When the Texans hired David Culley, they only guaranteed him two years of money; they knew there always was the real chance he would be one and done. As one league source texted about his one-year tenure, “I knew it when he was hired.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 13, 2022
Culley is 66 years old and this was his first head coaching job in the NFL.
So even though it ended in a one-and-done, he reached the mountaintop of the coaching ranks in football.
Things may have been different if he landed a job with a more stable franchise.
I don’t think the David Culley hiring was ever meant to be long term, but you hate to see him only get one season. The Texans just suck. Nothing could be done.
— j. whtlw (@JER_WHIT) January 13, 2022
Not a soul alive expected big things out of Houston this year. With a lot of struggling teams you can see that leadership is a challenge. I didn’t see or feel that way while watching David Culley lead that organization. I believe it’s isn’t right for that one reason.
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) January 13, 2022
I though David Culley did the best job anyone could with that mess. He was hired to be fired quickly and only he knows if the bullet point on the resume was worth it. Obvious landing spot for Brian Flores. #Texans #nfl
— John McMullen (@JFMcMullen) January 13, 2022
Culley can now find a nice assistant job somewhere in the NFL.
As for Houston, they still have a major question to figure out as it pertains to Watson’s future with the franchise.
That alone may be more important than who they hire to replace Culley.
NEXT: David Culley Provides A Telling Update On His Job Status