Over the course of their franchise history, the Houston Texans have been remarkably consistent when it comes to the sequence of events while winning division titles. Every time they’ve won a division title, it’s been part of a “two seasons in a row” package — 2011 and 2012, 2015 and 2016, 2018 and 2019, and finally DeMeco Ryans’ first two seasons in 2023 and 2024.
From there, in the first three pairs of AFC South divisional crowns, the two division titles were followed up with one of the worst seasons in franchise history. In 2013, the Texans followed their back to back titles with a 2-14 season, worst in the NFL. In 2017, they followed up with a 4-12 season, in large part torpedoed by Deshaun Watson’s torn ACL. Finally, in 2020, they went 4-12 again, with Bill O’Brien fired after an 0-4 start.
It’s with that backdrop that DeMeco Ryans tried to change history this season by producing a third consecutive that would make Texans fans proud. Early on, it looked like history repeating itself, with the Texans getting off to an 0-3 start. However, a 10-2 run since then has Ryans making team history, and even some league history!
How about this for a factoid — by beating the Raiders on Sunday, DeMeco Ryans became just the 13th head coach in NFL history to win 10 or more games in each of his first three seasons of being a head coach. Here is the full list:
DeMeco Ryans, Houston, 2023-2025
Matt LaFleur, Green Bay, 2019-2021
Bruce Arians, Arizona, 2013-2015
Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis, 2012-2014
Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco, 2011-2013
Barry Switzer, Dallas, 1994-1996
George Seifert, San Francisco, 1989-1991
Red Miller, Denver Broncos, 1977-1979
Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore, 1975-1977
Chuck Knox, Los Angeles Rams, 1973-1975
Blanton Collier, Cleveland, 1963-1965
Allie Sherman, New York Giants, 1961-1963
Paul Brown, Cleveland, 1946-1948
It’s a very eclectic and interesting list, with a handful of Super Bowl champions (Arians, Switzer, Seifert), as well as a couple who made Super Bowls, but lost (Harbaugh, Miller). What makes Ryans’ accomplishment more significant versus the names on here is the dire situation that he inherited. The Texans won a combined 11 games over the previous three seasons, under four different head coaches (if you count 2020 interim coach Romeo Crennel).
The organization was a mess from 2020 through 2022, with Jack Easterby roaming the hallways, usurping power (and botching things royally) at every turn. Drafting C.J. Stroud, in retrospect, certainly helped, but compare Ryans’ inherited situation to his “modern era” contemporaries, and I’d argue his three season accomplishment is the most impressive on this list.
For purposes of comparison, I’ll leave it to the head coaches on here whose three year stretch at least touched the 1990s, when the game looked at least somewhat similar to today’s game, with full on free agency, at a minimum, on the horizon. So here goes:
Matt LaFleur, Green Bay, 2019-2021
LaFleur inherited a team that had Aaron Rodgers, a multiple time MVP quarterback, on the roster. Credit LaFleur for getting Rodgers back to playing at that level, but LaFleur’s situation wasn’t harder than Ryans’.
Bruce Arians, Arizona, 2013-2015
Bruce Arians inherited a subpar situation, no doubt, but at least the Cardinals were a season removed from an 8-8 campaign, plus they made a shrewd trade for Carson Palmer that same offseason Arians was hired. Arians certainly is in the same neighborhood as Ryans, in terms of credit deserved.
Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis, 2012-2014
Pagano inherited a Colts team that went 2-14 the season before, but that was largely because Peyton Manning missed the entire season. The roster still had numerous pieces that were in the Super Bowl in 2009. Additionally, they drafted Andrew Luck, and were right back in the playoffs in 2012.
Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco, 2011-2013
Harbaugh did not inherit a winning program, but at least they’d won 21 games over the previous three seasons. Harbaugh having the Niners in the Super Bowl by his second season gives him the best argument versus Ryans in this debate.
Barry Switzer, Dallas, 1994-1996
Switzer inherited a Cowboys team that had just won the Super Bowl in the previous two seasons. End of subject.
George Seifert, San Francisco, 1989-1991
Switzer inherited a Niners team that had just won three Super Bowls in the 1980s, including the previous season. End of subject.
I know there are impatient Texans fans out there who are waiting for the team’s offense to turn a corner, and if they don’t, they want to see DeMeco Ryans explode on somebody. However, just know that, whatever glitch you may have with Ryans, he is doing some barely precedented things as your team’s head coach.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.