The Houston Texans have officially parted ways with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik after two seasons. The decision came as a bit of a shock to many, including myself, as I had assumed head coach DeMeco Ryans would stick with Slowik despite his struggles this year. Given their close friendship and shared history in the NFL, along with what we had heard from press conferences, it seemed likely that Ryans would remain loyal to his first-ever OC. However, as we’ve now seen, Ryans is committed to evaluating his staff critically and making tough decisions for the betterment of the team.
While it’s always important to take press conference comments with a grain of salt—coaches rarely openly criticize their staff or players—there was a general consensus among fans that Ryans would likely retain Slowik. Because of this, I didn’t even start hypothesizing about potential replacements when Ryans first alluded to a staff evaluation following the Texans' playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, after ample time to analyze the situation, the Texans have begun their search for a new offensive coordinator, interviewing several candidates.
Texans’ Offensive Coordinator Candidates
Jerrod Johnson
Internally, quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson has been interviewed for the position. Johnson has been instrumental in C.J. Stroud's development over the past two years, with their relationship dating back to the Elite 11 camp in 2019, where Johnson was one of Stroud’s coaches. Stroud has publicly expressed his appreciation for Johnson's mentorship, highlighting their strong bond. Given his direct impact on Stroud’s early NFL success, Johnson is an intriguing candidate. However, his lack of play-calling experience raises concerns about whether he would be the right fit at this stage as well as the concern that he would likely be coaching the same scheme as Bobby Slowik.
Jeff Nixon
The Texans have also interviewed Jeff Nixon, who served as the offensive coordinator at Syracuse this past season. Nixon has extensive NFL experience, having worked with the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles. In his lone season with Syracuse, Nixon’s offense ranked first in the ACC in passing yards per game and 21st in the nation in scoring, demonstrating his ability to scheme an effective attack.
Additionally, Nixon has ties to both Chip Kelly and DeMeco Ryans from their time in the NFL, making his candidacy even more interesting. There is speculation that Nixon’s interview could serve as a precursor to a possible Chip Kelly-led offensive staff in Houston.
Thad Lewis
Another candidate who has interviewed is Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis. A former NFL quarterback, Lewis transitioned into coaching and has worked as an offensive analyst at UCLA before taking on a coaching role in Tampa Bay. Notably, Lewis and DeMeco Ryans were teammates on the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles, giving them a personal history that could play a role in this decision. Like Nixon, Lewis has ties to Chip Kelly, and his interview has fueled speculation that the Texans could be vetting potential staff members for a Kelly-led offense.
Nick Caley
On Thursday, the Texans are set to interview Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator and tight ends coach Nick Caley. Caley has extensive experience under Sean McVay, and his background in the Rams’ version of the Shanahan system makes him an intriguing candidate. However, he also has ties to New England and Texans GM Nick Caserio, having spent seven seasons with the Patriots before joining the Rams. He previously interviewed for the Texans' offensive coordinator position in 2023, showing that he has been on their radar for a while.
The key concern with Caley is whether he would bring in the same type of offensive structure that Slowik struggled with or whether he could implement McVay’s more adaptive approach, which has remained successful in the NFL.
Bill Lazor
The Texans are also interviewing Bill Lazor, who is currently on the team’s staff and has previous experience as an offensive coordinator with the Dolphins, Bengals, and Bears. Lazor’s experience could provide much-needed stability for the Texans offense.
Doug Pederson
Former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson has been mentioned as a potential candidate, though there hasn’t been any official traction on this front. Pederson is known for his adaptable offensive strategies and has a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles on his résumé. His scheme, which blends West Coast and spread principles, would align well with what C.J. Stroud does best.
The Issues With Bobby Slowik’s Scheme and Why the Texans Need a Change
One of my biggest concerns in this search is ensuring the Texans don’t repeat the same mistake they made with Slowik—hiring an inexperienced play-caller who struggles to adjust. While every offensive coordinator has to start somewhere, Slowik’s tenure demonstrated the risks involved. More often than not, it takes years of experience to develop the ability to adapt and adjust to opposing defenses.
Slowik’s downfall wasn’t just about inexperience—it was about rigidity. When defenses adjusted to his system in Year 2, he failed to counter with meaningful changes. His pass protection scheme was a disaster, and while some blamed the offensive line, the reality was that the blocking rules were unnecessarily complex.
Additionally, Slowik insisted on using the wide zone running scheme, which is designed for smaller, more agile linemen who can block in space. However, the Texans' offensive line was better suited for a gap-scheme approach, which focuses on straight-ahead power in plays like power, counter, and duo. Whenever the Texans leaned into gap concepts, the run game thrived. Yet, Slowik refused to fully commit to it until the playoffs, when players reportedly requested the shift, according to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime. The success of that late-season adjustment makes it frustrating that it wasn’t implemented earlier.
My Top Choice: Chip Kelly
While there has been no official reporting about Chip Kelly interviewing with the Texans, reports indicate that he has interest in returning to the NFL. He was linked to the Jacksonville Jaguars OC opening, and with the Texans now looking for an offensive leader, buzz among the fanbase has grown about whether he is truly interested in Houston.
If the Texans want to maximize C.J. Stroud’s development, hiring Kelly would make a ton of sense. The version of Kelly’s offense that people remember from Oregon is not what he runs today. In 2024, he helped lead Ohio State to a national championship with a refined, balanced system. Kelly has shown that he can adapt his scheme to his personnel rather than force players to fit a rigid system like Slowik did.
One concern with Kelly is his past reputation for being a strict, authoritarian coach, with former Eagles players like LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson criticizing his leadership style. However, DeMeco Ryans was also on that Eagles team and has expressed respect for Kelly in the past. In fact, Kelly nicknamed Ryans "Mufasa" because of his leadership on defense, highlighting their mutual respect. That dynamic makes me believe they could work well together.
Additionally, Kelly’s recent work with Ryan Day at Ohio State is a big plus. Stroud thrived under Day’s system, and if Kelly were to take over in Houston, he would likely implement something very similar to what Stroud ran in college—something that would accelerate Stroud’s development and eliminate the learning curve.
Final Thoughts
The Texans have a prime opportunity to maximize C.J. Stroud’s development by making the right offensive coordinator hire. With Stroud entering his third year and still on his rookie contract, the team must prioritize stability and offensive innovation.
For me, Chip Kelly is the best candidate. His experience, adaptability, and familiarity with Stroud’s college system make him the ideal fit to lead Houston’s offense. If Kelly isn't an option, I’d be happy with Doug Pederson or Jeff Nixon, while Nick Caley presents some concerns due to his ties to the Shanahan system.
Regardless, the Texans cannot afford a play-caller who commits the same mistakes that Bobby Slowik did. The time to get this hire right is now, and I belive that no matter who the choice is, that the Houston Texans offense will be impoved in 2025.
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