The Houston Texans fired offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and offensive line coach Chris Strausser on Friday.
These decisions were made after the Texans’ offense took a step back following what seemed to be a successful 2023 season.
Slowik took over as offensive coordinator in 2023. With rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the team finished 12th in scoring (22.2 points per game) and yardage (342.4). Stroud earned AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and led the Texans to their first playoff appearance in four years.
Houston beat the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round, with Stroud becoming the youngest quarterback at 22 to win a playoff game.
However, this season, the Texans were 19th in scoring (21.9 points) and 22nd in yardage (319.7). Stroud’s performance declined as he was sacked 52 times, the second-highest in the league, just behind Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams’ 68 sacks. Stroud’s stats dropped, and his interceptions rose from five to twelve.
Despite these challenges, Houston finished with a 10-7 record for the second year in a row and won their wild-card playoff game, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers. The Kansas City Chiefs eliminated the Texans in the divisional round on Saturday.
The Texans were expected to do better, especially with key players like running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, but injuries to both players and other key injuries hurt their offensive performance. As a result, the Texans struggled to find their offensive rhythm.
