Coaching Staff
Head Coach: DeMeco Ryans
Offensive Coordinator: Nick Caley
Defensive Coordinator: Matt Burke
Special Teams Coordinator: Frank Ross
2025 Summary (W-L Record: 12-5)
For the third straight season since DeMeco Ryans arrived in Houston, the Texans reached the AFC Divisional Round but then came up short.
Last year seemed especially painful, though, because the Texans had the defense to carry them to the Super Bowl if their offense could only do their part. Unfortunately, they couldn’t.
While the offense struggled throughout much of the season, they discovered a successful formula for winning games. They didn’t turn the ball over.
The Texans finished 2nd in the NFL with just 12 giveaways during the regular season. The won their final 9 games and committed just 5 total turnovers in the process. They looked like an unbeatable team entering the postseason if they could just take the 2000 Ravens approach and protect the ball in the playoffs.
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They just couldn’t do it, though. Houston committed 8 turnovers in 2 games including 5 in their season-ending loss to the Patriots. One of those turnovers was a terrible pick-6 when the Texans held the lead in the 2nd quarter and had just seemed to take some control of the game.
Houston’s defense held the #2-ranked offense in the NFL to less than 250 yards that afternoon, sacked Drake Maye 5 times, created 3 turnovers, and forced 2 additional fumbles that they couldn’t recover.
Which is why it felt like the offense gave the game and the season away. Specifically, 3rd-year quarterback C.J. Stroud was the main culprit with his 7 turnovers in 2 playoff games.
Spoiler alert: He’s the biggest question entering the 2026 season.
Key Additions
RB David Montgomery
TE Foster Moreau
TE Marlin Klein (2nd Rd, 59th Overall)
LG Wyatt Teller
C Keylan Rutledge (1st Rd, 26th Overall)
RT Braden Smith
OG Febechi Nwaiwu (4th Rd, 106th Overall)
OG Evan Brown
DL Kayden McDonald (2nd Rd, 36th Overall)
DL Logan Hall
EDGE Jadeveon Clowney
EDGE Dominique Robinson
LB Wade Woodaz (4th Rd, 123rd Overall)
LB Marte Mapu
S Reed Blankenship
S Kamari Ramsey (5th Rd, 141st Overall)
Key Losses
RB Nick Chubb
RB Dare Ogunbowale
WR Christian Kirk
TE Harrison Bryant
RT Tytus Howard
OG Juice Scruggs
LG Laken Tomlinson
DL Tim Settle
DL Denico Autry
EDGE Derek Barnett
S Myles Bryant
S K’Von Wallace
Biggest Questions Entering 2026
C.J. Stroud
The Texans’ 4th-year quarterback is hands down the biggest question with this team. The offense as a whole needs to be better, particularly up front, so it’s not all on him. However, the regression in his play has to be a concern for the Texans.
Stroud seemed like a sure thing coming out of his rookie season. He played like a top-10 quarterback and had a level of maturity to his game that was rare to see in a first-year player:
C.J. Stroud Already Looks Like a Veteran QB
It’s pleasing to the eye to see a quarterback pick apart a defense with ease. But you learn a lot more about him in those ugly games where every play feels like a struggle.
He took a step back in year 2, primarily because of the protection. That season exposed how uncomfortable Stroud was in the pocket with pressure closing and bodies around him (or perhaps it created that element to his game).
Year 3 started off with more of the same as the Texans lost their first 3 games, scoring just 38 total points in the process. Stroud battled through it (and a concussion that kept him out of 3 games in the middle of the season), and bounced back to have a decent year. The playoffs are where everything fell apart.
There was one way for the Texans Offense to approach the playoffs given how dominant their defense was: Do not turn the ball over. Do not take negative plays. Punting is a viable option.
Stroud did the exact opposite.