Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans chose to bring along an assistant he worked for with the San Francisco 49ers to become his first offensive coordinator for the 2023 season.
Bobby Slowik, who worked under Shanahan with the 49ers from 2017-2022, was credited with helping to around the Texans offense in 2023. Slowik’s name was hot during the coaching carousel in the last offseason after CJ Stroud won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2023 and made a Pro Bowl appearance.
Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud regressed in 2024
The Texans surprised nearly everyone in the league in 2023, winning a playoff game before finishing their season with a 34-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. The dramatic turnaround came a season after going 3-13.
Houston was expected to make improvements in year No. 2 of the Ryans’ regime. However, the Texans finished 10-7 before winning their wild card matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers and losing 23-14 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round.
Stroud and the offense regressed in 2024. The No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft threw for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 2023.
Ryans made the surprising decision to fire Slowik following Houston’s loss to Kansas City.
DeMeco Ryans hired Nick Caley as his new OC
Per the NFL Network, Ryans chose Los Angeles Rams tight ends and passing game coordinator Nick Caley as Slowik’s replacement.
“The Texans are hiring Rams TEs coach and pass game coordinator Nick Caley as their new OC, as CJ Stroud and the Houston offense get a new play-caller, per me and Tom Pelissero,” Ian Rapoport posted on X. “Caley drew interest from the Jets and Patriots. He was selective and lands in Houston.”
The #Texans are hiring #Rams TEs coach and pass game coordinator Nick Caley as their new OC, as CJ Stroud and the Houston offense get a new play-caller, per me and @TomPelissero.
Caley drew interest from the #Jets and #Patriots. He was selective and lands in Houston. pic.twitter.com/Ol2stMfgDT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2025
Two years after Ryans took from Kyle Shanahan’s cupboard, the former 49ers defensive coordinator is going after his former rivals’ top assistant.
Caley will enter Houston as a disciple of the Sean McVay coaching tree. Like Shanahan, McVay runs a quarterback-friendly offense that has helped the careers of Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, and Baker Mayfield.
Caley got his first start in the NFL as an offensive assistant with the New England Patriots in 2015. He stayed with the Patriots until 2022, winning Super Bowls LI and LIII. The Canton, Ohio, native accepted a job as the Rams tight ends in 2023.
The 42-year-old coach added the title of passing game coordinator in 2024.
Now it remains to be seen if Caley can replicate the type of success with Stroud that McVay has had with his quarterbacks.
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