As the 2026 offseason has unfolded in the National Football League over the last few weeks, I do believe that Houston Texans fans are surprised by the lack of chance within the coaching staff. Sure, they went 12-5 and won a playoff game, but things on the offensive side of the ball were not great this past season.
Until Thursday morning, the only changes had been the firing of tight ends coach Jake Moreland, along with a couple of assistant position coaches in Ben Bolling (who worked with linebackers) and Mike Snyder (who worked with receivers). Well, that changed yesterday morning, with the report from ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter that quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson and the team had agreed to part ways.
Added onto that bit of news were reports, from various sources, that current Texans offensive assistant Jerry Schuplinski will be promoted up to Johnson’s old spot, taking over as quarterbacks coach. So what does all of this mean, and what are the relevant angles? Let’s discuss!
Ultimately, it was time for a change
Johnson arrived in Houston in 2023, as a member of Ryans’ inaugural coaching staff, and survived the firing of offensaive coordinator Bobby Slowik a year ago, and retained his job. However, when new OC Nick Caley arrived, he brought Schuplinski in as an adviser, so perhaps we should have seen this coming, as Caley and Schuplinski had worked together before. Ultimately, at a very basic level, the quarterback play has not been good enough the last two seasons, and if your title is “quarterbacks coach,” you leave yourself open to demotion or termination.
Schuplinski’s promotion will trigger some Texans fans, though, for this reason….
Now, part of Schuplinski’s history with Caley involves their educational backgrounds. Both are graduates of John Carroll University. Other graduates of John Carroll University in the Texans’ building include special teams coach Frank Ross and general manager Nick Caserio. In other words, the Texans have a type, and it’s someone with a JCU degree. Why would this trigger Texans fans? Well, it does have a bit of a “Patriots Way” feel to it, especially because Caley and Schuplinski spent time in New England together, while Caserio was working in the Patriots’ front office. As it turns out, people are not a fan of the “Patriots Way” when it is not working, and the offense for the Texans has been at least somewhat broken the last two seasons.
And triggered for this reason…..
When this news broke on Thursday morning, and I announced it to my radio audience on SportsRadio 610, the text page to our show was flooded with requests and wishful hope that the Texans would bring former Texan and former Coog quarterback Case Keenum back into the building to fill Johnson’s role. Of course, Keenum was a Houston Texan on three separate occasions, the most recent one as a backup QB in Stroud’s rookie season. Reportedly, Keenum had a definite role in Stroud’s success that season, so it’s logical that Texans fans (and University of Houston alums) would want Keenum back here. Keenum, though, is still an active player, under contract to the Bears this season, so if that’s going to happen someday, it’s obviously not in 2026.