NFL Coaching Prop: Who Will Replace Lovie Smith at Houston Texans?

Texans in Turmoil

NFL betting fans know that the Houston Texans organization is a bit of a mess right now. The team hasn’t won more than four games since 2019 and has dealt with a public relations nightmare regarding former quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Texans reached settlements last July with 30 women who made claims or were prepared to make them against the franchise for its alleged role regarding sexual misconduct allegations regarding Watson.

With woes on and off the field, it’s little wonder that turmoil has also hit the coaching staff. Houston will soon be on their fifth head coach since 2020 after firing Lovie Smith after just one season in the job. Yes, the Texans were an ugly 3-13-1, but they played really well down the stretch for Smith, including a 32-31 upset victory in Indianapolis in the finale. Smith opted to try a two-point conversion and the win instead of kicking a PAT and sending the game to overtime.

Some believe part of the reason Smith was fired was because Houston didn’t lose – had it done so, it would have picked first in the 2023 NFL draft instead of now second behind the Chicago Bears. Frankly, no one around in NFL or online sports betting communities understood why Smith was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach after the 2021 season when David Culley was fired.

Although the playoffs and Super Bowl betting season is underway, many real money sports betting fanatics are more focused on the action off the field. In addition to NFL draft odds for players like Stetson Bennett, betting odds for coaches are also drawing a lot of attention. Read on for the latest odds for the next head coach of the Houston Texans.

Who Will Be the Next Texans Head Coach?

In theory, it might make sense for the Texans to look for an offensive head coach because they almost surely are drafting a quarterback at No. 2 overall – likely either Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s CJ Stroud. However, the top two favorites as next head coach are current defensive coordinators: Jonathan Gannon (+250) of the Philadelphia Eagles and DeMeco Ryans (+400) of the San Francisco 49ers.

The Eagles led the NFL in pass defense (179.8 ypg) and sacks (franchise-record 70, two shy of the NFL record) during the regular season. Gannon was in the running last year, losing out to Lovie Smith, but remains a prime target for the Texans. Gannon has already been interviewed regarding the head coach position and enjoys a positive relationship with GM Nick Caserio.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, left, reacts to quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) prior to the NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

The 49ers led the league in scoring defense (16.3 ppg), and DeMeco Ryans played linebacker for Houston from 2006-11. He wasn’t overly happy about how his tenure there ended and would be a fan favorite choice.

The sports betting odds have several other names in the running, including New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (+600), Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen (+600) and Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson (+800).

An interesting name is recently fired Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury (+1000). He didn’t do a particularly good job there but is a Texas native and also coached at the University of Houston. There was a report over the weekend that Kingsbury is actually in Thailand on a one-way ticket and may not be interested in coaching for the time being.

Another head coach fired this season who may be looking to immediately re-enter the fray is the Indianapolis Colts’ Frank Reich (+1800). The long shot is former Texans legendary player and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt at +10000. Watt retired from the Cardinals after the season but has zero coaching experience.

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