Regardless of being an annual information story round this time of the yr — because of the circus that’s brought on by the best way that coaches are fired and employed within the Lone Star State — DeMeco Ryans is returning dwelling to be the most recent head coach of the Houston Texans. They are saying “house is the place the center is,” however the Texans don’t love anyone — particularly Black head coaches.

It’s not a query of “if,” however one among “when,” as Ryans has chosen to take the worst job within the NFL, and can finally stroll in the identical sneakers as David Culley and Lovie Smith — the franchise’s final two head coaches, who’re each Black, that had been fired after one season on the job.

It wouldn’t be good for a white coach to take the Texans’ job. And at this level, it’s nothing however a profitable payday for Black ones — provided that the Black coaches previously who’ve led that franchise haven’t been allowed to make it by way of multiple coaching camp.

Houston, he’s dwelling

The Texans have agreed to a six-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator, who was as soon as a former Defensive Rookie of the Yr who would go on to be an All-Professional and two-time Professional Bowler throughout his time as a participant in Houston. The size of the deal is vital, because it ensures that Ryans will money out each time the Texans determine to be completed with him. The “Houston Texans” have been a franchise since 2002, and in that point solely Gary Kubiak (virtually eight seasons) and Invoice O’Brien (virtually seven seasons) are the longest-tenured coaches in franchise historical past — as nobody else has been capable of stick round because of the workforce’s resolution to both rent somebody who was sorry, or hearth somebody earlier than we knew in the event that they had been succesful.

“DeMeco is a confirmed coach with a monitor file of success who has an innate means to guide folks,” Texans GM Nick Caserio stated in an announcement. “… We’re working to construct a sustainable program that has long-term success and DeMeco is the coach we really feel is the very best match to assist us obtain our targets. We all know how vital it’s to get outcomes now and now we have loads of work to do, however I’m excited to companion with DeMeco to construct our soccer workforce collectively.”

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That’s cute. But, this is a franchise that has an all-time common season and a postseason file of 146-201-1, which calculates to a .421 successful proportion.

And if that wasn’t sufficient, the “information” round Ryans grew to become information itself, because it was a battle of he-said/he-said as two of the league’s insiders reported completely different tales on the way it all went down. NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Denver Broncos spent Tuesday attempting to persuade Ryans, for a second time, to be their new head coach. However as soon as they realized it wasn’t occurring, they determined to go along with Sean Payton.

However in keeping with ESPN’s Adam Schefter — the dude who has a historical past of being a mouthpiece for the league, brokers, gamers, and entrance workplaces — Ryans was by no means within the working in Denver and wasn’t contacted by them this week, as Payton was who the Broncos wished.

DeMeco Ryans as soon as sued the Houston Texans

Who is aware of, however regardless of how Ryans ended up in Houston, there’s nonetheless the truth that it is a man that when sued his former workforce and present employer. In 2016, Ryans introduced litigation in opposition to Harris County, who owns NRG stadium, the administration firm, the turf firm, the Texans, and the league for greater than $10 million because of tearing his Achilles in a recreation in opposition to the Texans when he performed for the Eagles. Ryans felt like the sphere circumstances led to his damage. Finally, the league and the Texans had been dropped from the lawsuit because the case was settled in 2021.

Houston’s historical past with Black coaches

The wedding between Ryans and the Texans has grow to be a scorching matter given the franchise’s historical past of being one of many preeminent examples of how Black coaches are mistreated within the NFL. On one aspect, you’ve a workforce that’s on its fourth Black head coach in case you add Romeo Crennel’s 12-game interim stint in 2020 to the lone seasons that Culley and Smith had earlier than Ryans signed on. However however, you’ll be able to’t level to the Texans’ resolution of hiring three consecutive Black coaches as being an instance of “variety” and “racial progress” when, up to now, none of these Black males have been allowed to remain on the job so long as the white coaches that preceded them.

Always remember that it is a workforce that was owned by a person who as soon as doubled down on saying, “We will’t have the inmates working the jail,” when Black gamers had been kneeling in peaceable protest in opposition to racism and police brutality throughout the nationwide anthem. The workforce is now run by that man’s son, who made a public racist comment about Asians at a charity occasion in 2021.

Hiring a Black particular person, or every other minority, to do a job with out empowering them is ineffective, because it’s proof that they had been introduced in to make a quota — not an affect. Historical past has proven us that that is how the Texans function.

When Ryans blows his whistle at coaching camp, it will likely be one among his first official strikes as the pinnacle coach of the Houston Texans. He will probably be following within the footsteps of the Black males that got here earlier than him. And like them, he’ll greater than probably really feel a way of delight as being one of many choose few Black head coaches in NFL historical past. However what DeMeco Ryans should additionally acknowledge is that regardless of how a lot he believes that he could be the exception to the rule, he now works for a franchise that’s confirmed that they received’t let that occur. The Houston Texans solely rent Black coaches to fireside them.