Tag: DeMeco Ryans

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; CBS analyst J.J. Watt on the field before Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. Watt leaves door open (slightly) for potential return to Texans

Posted on | by Field Level Media

J.J. Watt left the door open for a potential NFL comeback, although he admitted that the door is closing quickly.

Watt, who announced his retirement after the 2022 season, said at his charity softball game on Saturday in Houston that he’d suit up for the Texans if he was truly needed.

“I’m a very fortunate, lucky man, I have a beautiful wife, I have a beautiful son,” Watt said. “I’ve had 12 great years in this league and I’m very thankful to have walked away healthy and playing great.

“I told (former teammate and current Texans coach DeMeco Ryans) last year, I said, ‘Don’t call unless you absolutely need it, but if you ever do call, I’ll be there.’ And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it. This is the last year I’ll tell him that, because I’m not going to keep training the way I’ve been training, but he knows that if he ever truly does need it, I’ll be there for him. I don’t anticipate that happening — they’ve got a very good group.”

Watt, 35, played for the Texans from 2011-20 before finishing his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals (2021-22).

Houston bolstered its pass-rushing group by signing Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry, who last season recorded 16.5 and 11.5 sacks, respectively.

Watt is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, five-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team.

Watt currently is an NFL analyst for CBS Sports.

–Field Level Media

Aug 5, 2022; Houston, Texas, US; A general picture of a Houston Texans helmet after training camp at the Texans practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Texans to hire Bobby Slowik as OC

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Houston Texans are hiring Bobby Slowik as their offensive coordinator, NFL Network reported Sunday morning.

Slowik and new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans spent the past six seasons together with the San Francisco 49ers.

Former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury also interviewed with the Texans for the role of offensive coordinator. The position was vacant after Houston opted against retaining Pep Hamilton after finishing 31st in total offense (283.5 yards per game) and tied for 30th in scoring offense (17.0 points) last season.

Slowik, 35, began his NFL coaching career as a video assistant and defensive assistant with the Washington franchise from 2011-13. He later joined the 49ers as a defense quality control coach in 2017 before becoming an offensive assistant in 2019.

Slowik was promoted to San Francisco’s offensive passing game specialist in 2021 and named the passing game coordinator in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Defensive Line Coach Matt Burke works out his team during the Arizona Cardinals Back Together Saturday Practice at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Saturday, July 30, 2022. Cardinals Fan 24

Report: Texans to hire Matt Burke as defensive coordinator

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Houston Texans are expected to hire Matt Burke as their defensive coordinator, NFL Network reported Friday.

Burke, who interviewed with the Texans this week, most recently worked as the defensive line coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

Burke, 46, would represent the first big hire for DeMeco Ryans, who was named the Texans head coach on Jan. 31. Ryans, 38, spent the past two seasons as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator.

Burke previously was defensive coordinator in two of his three seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2016-18). He has worked in a variety of coaching roles with the Tennessee Titans (2004-08), Detroit Lions (2009-13), Cincinnati Bengals (2014-16), Philadelphia Eagles (2019-20) and New York Jets (2021).

The Texans ranked 30th in yards allowed (379.5) and 27th in points allowed (24.7) this past season.

–Field Level Media

Dec 18, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Steve Wilks during warm ups at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: 49ers to tab Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The San Francisco 49ers plan to hire Steve Wilks as their defensive coordinator, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

Wilks will replace DeMeco Ryans, who accepted the head coaching position with the Houston Texans last week.

Wilks, 53, began this past season as the Carolina Panthers’ passing game coordinator and secondary coach. He assumed interim head coaching responsibilities after Matt Rhule was fired on Oct. 10 after a 1-4 start. Wilks guided the team to a 6-6 record.

Wilks interviewed for the Panthers’ head coaching position following the season. That job went to Frank Reich, however.

Wilks will take over a 49ers defense that allowed the fewest points (16.3) and yards per game (300.6) in the NFL in 2022 and generated 30 takeaways.

Wilks has worked with the defense throughout the majority of his NFL coaching career. He was in charge of the secondary with the Washington franchise in 2005 and served as the defensive backs coach with the Chicago Bears (2006-08), then-San Diego Chargers (2009-11) and Panthers (2012-17).

He also guided the Arizona Cardinals to a 3-13 record during his lone season as the team’s head coach in 2018 before once again serving as a defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns in 2019.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans reacts during the third quarter against the Washington Commanders at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Texans moving quickly on DeMeco Ryans

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The Houston Texans are expected to meet with DeMeco Ryans as soon as Monday for a second interview with plans on finalizing a deal with San Francisco’s defensive coordinator as their next head coach, KPRC2 and NFL Network reported.

Reports over the last few days indicated Ryans emerged as the frontrunner for the Texans’ job. The 49ers lost the NFC Championship Game on Sunday to free up Ryans for the rest of the process with Texans executives.

Ryans could be introduced this week.

Ryans interviewed with the Texans on Jan. 20. NFL rules prohibited a second interview until after Sunday’s contest. He has also been linked to the head coaching vacancies with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

Ryans’ counterpart on Sunday, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, is also considered a top contender to replace Lovie Smith in Houston. Smith was fired after just one season and a 3-13-1 record at the helm. David Culley was fired after one season and a 4-13 record in 2021.

Gannon and the Eagles are headed to the Super Bowl, meaning he cannot be hired officially until Feb. 13, one day after the Eagles and Chiefs play in Arizona.

Ryans, 38, has spent the past two seasons as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator. A former NFL linebacker who played for the Texans from 2006-2011, he joined the 49ers in 2017 as a defensive quality control assistant, then was the inside linebackers coach for three seasons.

The 49ers were No. 1 in the NFL in points allowed (16.3) and yards allowed (300.6 per game) in 2022.

–Field Level Media

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans celebrates during the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Colts request interviews with DeMeco Ryans, 2 others

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The Indianapolis Colts expanded their already large list of candidates for their head coaching job, requesting interviews with three more NFL assistants on Monday, per multiple reports.

On their wish list for interviews are both of the New York Giants coordinators — Mike Kafka (offensive) and Wink Martindale (defensive) — along with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

Indianapolis is the first team to seek an interview with Martindale. The Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans are interested in Kafka, and the Texans, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals have set interviews with Ryans.

In all, the Colts have 11 candidates for the job, including interim head coach Jeff Saturday and seven other NFL assistants.

Martindale, 59, is in his first season as defensive coordinator for the Giants, who upset the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 on Sunday to move on to the NFC divisional round of the playoffs. He previously held the same position with the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos, among his many stops in a coaching career that started in 1986.

Kafka, 35, joined new coach Brian Daboll’s staff this season in New York after five seasons under coach Andy Reid in Kansas City, where he was Patrick Mahomes’ quarterbacks coach and then the Chiefs passing game coordinator in 2021.

Kafka does not intend to interview for any jobs this week, according to multiple reports. Instead, he will focus on preparing the game plan for the Giants’ clash with the Philadelphia Eagles, the No. 1 seed, this weekend.

Ryans, 38, has spent the past two seasons as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator. A former NFL linebacker, he joined the 49ers in 2017 working on defensive quality control, then was the inside linebackers coach for three seasons.

The 49ers surrendered just 277 points in the regular season — best in the NFL.

–Field Level Media

Nov 29, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sidelines during the 49ers win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: 49ers promote Mike McDaniel, DeMeco Ryans to coordinators

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The San Francisco 49ers promoted run game coordinator Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans to defensive coordinator, multiple outlets reported Monday.

Ryans replaces Robert Saleh, who left to become the head coach of the New York Jets. McDaniel replaces Mike LaFleur, who followed Saleh to be the offensive coordinator for the Jets.

McDaniel just completed his fourth season with the 49ers and third as the run game coordinator. He previously served as the team’s run game specialist in 2017.

Ryans also finished his fourth season with the 49ers and third as the team’s inside linebackers coach. He served as the team’s defensive quality control coach in 2017.

San Francisco fielded a top-10 defense in total yards (fifth), rush yards (seventh) and pass yards (fourth) under Saleh’s leadership last year. In 2019, the 49ers were second overall in the league in total defense (281.8 yards per game) and first in pass defense, as its 169.2 per-game average was the league’s best since the Jets’ allowed an average of 153.7 through the air per game in 2009.

–Field Level Media