Battle Red Blog
For a weekend where Houston didn’t actually play, a lot happened.
Someday, Houston fans will watch the Conference Championship games with more than detached interest. There may be an actual rooting equity for the Houston fans, and dare I say it, the chance to end the night with the greatest pro football achievement in Houston history. Until then, we must satisfy ourselves with the same thing we’ve said since 2002...wait until next year.
Shake up in the Houston leadership ranks, two expected, one not: This past week, the offensive line coach (Chris Strausser) and the offensive coordinator (Bobby Slowik) left the organization. Given the struggles of the offensive line and the offense overall, few professed that much shock. However, the announcement that team president Greg Grissom and the Texans parted ways on Thursday caught many off-guard. For a man who’s been with the organization since the beginning and oversaw so many of the business aspects of the franchise, it does seem rather odd to leave when the team is on a major upswing. The back story remains incomplete. Perhaps the team wanted to go in a different business direction, with rumors about the McNairs pushing for a new stadium floating on the interwebs. Or, after nearly 25 years of service, Grissom wanted to do something different.
Not that the McNairs wasted any time, as they announced Mike Tomon as his replacement this Monday. Tomon’s resume includes his stint at Legends, where he worked business deals for many international football/soccer clubs, the NFL and international competitions. Based on a statement from Cal McNair, Tomon’s work with “stadium development” might raise more than a few eyebrows. While this may not matter much in the short-term, this plot point might be worth watching in the years ahead.
The next domino to fall is...: While the Team President plays an important role in the business side, most of us only care about one thing: “Who will be the offensive coordinator?” At this point, Houston has interviewed current quarterbacks’ coach Jerrod Johnson, but they are linked to Ohio State University offensive mastermind (and former NFL head coach) Chip Kelly. Klint Kubiak was thought to be a prime contender, but as of Sunday night, he left New Orleans to run the offense in Seattle. At this point, the next offensive line coach and offensive staff rests on that one move. Given that the offense was the weakest link on the team, even with CJ Stroud, Nico Collins and Joe Mixon, this hire is the biggest for the squad. The decision is expected by this week.
About the Conference Title Games: By now, we are all coming to grips with a Super Bowl rematch between the Kansas City Swifties Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles and their barbarian fanbase. The Chiefs look to be the first NFL organization to win three consecutive Super Bowls and the first three-peat champion since the last of the Lombardi Packers in the mid-1960s. The Eagles look to shake the label of being...
