At the end of last year’s postseason run for the Houston Texans, following another disappointing exit in the divisional round, that time at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach DeMeco Ryans said that it was imperative the team reach “new heights” in 2025. This mission was reiterated by Ryans throughout the 2025 season.
We all know how the mission ended. Despite an impressive nine game winning streak to close out the regular season, and despite a defense that performed numerous historic feats throughout the season, it all ended up exactly where previous Ryans coached teams ended up — bowing out in the divisional round, in an ugly, turnover filled mess of a loss to the New England Patriots, a final score of 28-16.
Well, when you don’t accomplish your openly stated mission, you can’t just roll it back next season. There must be change. Surely, on the offensive side of the football, there will be upgrades (or at least, HOPEFUL upgrades) on the way in free agency and the draft. Late January, though, is the time to address the coaching staff, and earlier this week, the Texans started in on that process, parting ways with three assistant coaches, two on offense and one on defense.
Most prominently, the Texans fired tight ends coach Jake Moreland. Moreland had been with the Texans’ staff for all three seasons of the DeMeco Ryans Era, and on the plus side, oversaw the most prolific individual season for a tight end in team history in 2025, as Dalton Schultz set a single season franchise record with 82 catches. However, Schultz’s performance over three seasons has been somewhat hit or miss, and probably more importantly for Moreland, the development of second year tight end Cade Stover has been very, very slow. Stover totaled just 12 catches for 76 yards in 2025.
The Texans also chose to part ways with offensive assistant Mike Snyder and assistant linebackers coach Ben Bolling. Snyder just finished up his second season with the Texans, and the team chose not to renew his expiring contract. He’d been credited with working with the receivers in 2024, which included Nico Collins’ going over 1,000 yards receiving. Meanwhile, Bolling’s time with the Texans actually predates Ryans’ hire, as he joined the Texans back in 2021. It’s a mild surprise that the Texans would fire anyone on the defensive staff, just based on the overall performance at every level of that side of the ball, but Bolling was unable to escape the guillotine.
As far as other changes to the coaching staff, it appears all three coordinators (OC Nick Caley, DC Matt Burke, STC Frank Ross) should be back in 2026. The only variable might be Burke’s long shot candidacy for the Arizona Cardinals’ head coaching opening. Burke interviewed for the job earlier this month. Also, defensive backs coach Dino Vasso is a candidate for the Tennessee Titans’ open defensive coordinator slot. Finally, it’s worth keeping an eye on the offensive staff for more change. QB coach Jerrod Johnson has interviewed for multiple offensive coordinator openings, but he could be in jeopardy with the Texans based on how C.J. Stroud finished the postseason.
This article appears in Private: Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026.