The Houstan Texans on Thursday fired head coach David Cully after one season, as per NFL Network’s sources.
Cully, who was an assistant since 1994, was appointed as the Texans’ head coach in 2021. Under his guidance, the team finished 4-13.
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As per the report, Houston Texans owe the 66-year-old $17 million over the next three years. He will have earned $22 million for one season of work.
With Culley being fired, Texans general manager will look for the side’s third head coach over the last three years.
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NFL network’s reporter said that Culley was fired because he would not make changes to his offensive staff, including offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.
Kelly was also fired on Thursday.
Culley, heading to the end of the current season, had showed his commitment to carry on with Kelly along with the entire staff.
“I feel the same thing about our whole coaching staff,” Culley said after Houston’s 28-25 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
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“I’ve got confidence in this entire coaching staff, not just singling out one guy. I would want this whole entire coaching staff back.”
The Houstan Texans ranked 27th or worse in points per game, total yards per game, points allowed per game and yards allowed per contest.
Culley replaced Bill O’Brien last season after spending 43 years as a college and NFL assistant. He took over a team that went 4-12 in the 2020 season with Deshaun Watson at quarterback.
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Watson requested a trade around the time Culley was hired, and before 22 women filed lawsuits against the QB alleging sexual harassment or assault. The issues kept Watson out all season and precipitated a rebuild in Houston that left Culley at the helm of one of the NFL’s worst teams.
This is the first time the Texans have fired a coach after just one season. The team’s first coach, Dom Capers, spent four seasons in Houston before being fired. Gary Kubiak was hired next, and he was let go in his eighth season. The team parted ways with O’Brien after he opened his seventh season 0-4.
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His firing leaves the NFL with just one Black head coach in Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. Miami’s Brian Flores also was let go this week.
Houston beat Jacksonville in the opener before losing eight consecutive games after Tyrod Taylor was injured and rookie quarterback Davis Mills struggled to adjust to the NFL.
But the Texans played better late in the season, with two of their four wins coming in the last month of the season, highlighted by a 41-29 victory over a Los Angeles Chargers team still in playoff contention.
With inputs from the Associated Press
