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NFL's Texans sack coach Lovie Smith
The Houston Texans fired head coach Lovie Smith on Sunday, announcing the decision hours after their 32-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts capped another disappointing NFL campaign.
Smith spent just one season with the Texans, finishing with three wins, 13 defeats and one tie.
Despite the arrival of talented young players, including offensive and defensive rookie of the year contenders Dameon Pierce and Jalen Pitre, the Texans' season went wrong early.
There were rumors even before Sunday's final slate of games that the Texans planned to jettison Smith.
Texans chairman and chief executive Cal McNair said in a statement posted on Twitter that he and general manager Nick Caseiro had informed Smith of their decision on Sunday evening.
"Nick Caseiro and I spoke with Lovie Smith tonight and informed him that we will be moving in a different direction as an organization," McNair said.
"We are grateful for his leadership and character, and we wish him the best moving forward.
Despite results that "have not been what we had hoped for," McNair said the team remained "committed to building a program that produces long-term, sustainable success."
Their narrow win in the final game of the regular season came when Smith elected to go for a two-point conversion and the victory after their touchdown in the final minute of the contest.
But the win means the Texans won't get the number one overall pick in the NFL draft. That selection will now go to the Chicago Bears.
Smith said he would never have considered not going for the win, regardless of the draft implications, and would never tell his players not to go for a win.
"This is an option that I had," Smith told ESPN of his decision to go for the two-point conversion, rather than the more common extra point kick attempt.
"So you're saying, 'Hey guys, play in this last game, all that you've been working for your life, you play to win, forget that. Lose the game on purpose.'
"Like, that will be a hard one to get by," he said. "What we work on each week, our game plan, has been to win the game. It's kind of simple as that. That's what we follow through on the day."
It will be the third season in a row that the Texans are looking for a new coach.
A year ago they fired David Culley. Smith, who was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach on Culley's staff in 2021, was made head coach last February 7.
P. Rasmussen--BTZ
