The Houston Texans were dealt a tough hand this season, but the misfortune may not salvage things between head coach Bill O’Brien and general manager Rick Smith.
Houston lost arguably its best player in J.J. Watt, as well as rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson, who proved to be quite the playmaker before getting injured.
Plenty has been out of O’Brien’s control this season, who otherwise has produced a largely successful string of seasons for the Texans since taking over prior to the 2014-15 season.
But middle ground between the coach and GM seem so far apart that one or the other likely will be gone before next season, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson.
“While the four-year partnership between O’Brien and Smith has produced two AFC South division titles,” wrote Wilson, “the relationship between the two is characterized as problematic and could lead to an either-or-situation going forward, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.
” ‘It’s toxic,’ one source said. ‘It’s dysfunctional.’ ”
Certainly not encouraging.
Wilson began to cite more sources who further validated that dysfunction.
“Another source speculated that Smith and O’Brien could keep working together but that it would be an ‘uneasy alliance’ that’s somewhat untenable,” Wilson continued.
“A third source with knowledge of the situation said he would be ‘kind of surprised’ if the Texans don’t make a change.”
The Texans head into the final week at 4-11, but they began the season 3-3, with all three losses coming against playoff teams. However, even if things had gone better, they would have been hard-pressed to win the AFC South with the way the Jacksonville Jaguars played this season.
But this relationship sounds like it goes well beyond just wins and losses.
