As we detailed in a post late last week, it appears that former Houston Texans employees have had an opportunity to discuss the very, very dark times of the 2020 COVID season (the final one under the Bill O’Brien era) and the following 2021 season (the 4-13 fever dream that was the David Culley Era). This could be due to chance.
In particular, over the past few weeks, former head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien, former wide receiver Randall Cobb, and former running back David Johnson have all shared their memories of those terrible days on different podcasts. It’s quite illuminating, and I’ve generally left feeling either the same or a little better about each guy.
Having said that, I hope this becomes popular! I need more former Texans from that era, particularly from January 2020—the month of the Kansas City playoff loss—through the bulk of the 2021 season captained by David Culley. You will find this to be a much easier exercise now that the Texans are playing well again in football.
These are the ten people I would like to speak with, along with their affiliation with the Texans, the topic I need them to talk about most, and the possibility that we will hear from them in public regarding that topic:
J.J. Watt is a legendary defensive end for the team.
I believe I would like to hear Watt’s perspective on the chaotic period from the end of the 2020 season through his release, during which Nick Caserio was hired out of the blue, David Culley was hired out of the blue, and Deshaun Watson demanded a trade. Watt has already discussed his release from the Texans in February 2021. I would be curious to learn what was going through his mind.
Probability of WATT Dishes: 5%
QB and eventual super-defendant DESHAUN WATSON
Watson said very little during this period of the Inquisition. He communicated on social media at the time of his trade request by posting cryptic rap lyrics, but he stopped speaking altogether when the lawsuits started coming in. You know, Miranda warnings and all that. I’m curious about Watson’s experience going to practice every day in the first few days of the 2021 training camp, knowing that he would never be able to play for the team again. How did you feel about playing safety during walkthroughs?
Probability 50% of Watson Dishes
Safety, Justin Reid
This one is simple: I need to know precisely what transpired and why Reid was benched during a game in 2021 because of actions taken behind the scenes. Reid reportedly got into an argument with wide receiver Chris Conley during a team meeting. It comes down to this, in my opinion: Reid did a good job at his job, whereas neither Conley nor Culley did. Prior to the arrival of both of them, Reid was never a problem behind the scenes. I agree with Reid.
Probability of REID Dishes: 65%
Deandre Hopkins, a wide receiver in the NFL
When Hopkins learned he was getting traded, I would like to know if he felt played for a joke, how much he laughed at the treatment the Texans gave him, and how much he enjoyed seeing Bill O’Brien and Jack Easterby’s kingdom fall apart.
HOPKINS Dishes Likelihood: 80%
Wide receiver and Easterby truther BRANDIN COOKS
Although Cooks was generally productive during his three seasons as a Texan, things did not work out when he was brought in a few weeks after the Hopkins trade. I would like to know if Cooks felt he was being picked out as a Jack Easterby truther and that there was any fallout for him. Since returning to New England in 2017, the two have maintained a close friendship.
Cooking dishes is 85 percent likely.
ROSIE BLACKLOCK, linebacker
The player the Texans selected with the second round pick they acquired in exchange for Hopkins was Blacklock, a native of Houston. I would love to know what it was like to be a rookie in O’Brien’s 2020 camp and a young player in the aimless Culley camp, but he was gone after a few seasons.
50 percent chance of BLACKLOCK dishes
ROMEO CRENNEL, amiable grandfather and acting head coach
When O’Brien was let go after four games, Crennel was asked to take over while working in a comfortable office position with the Texans. If he stayed around, was that something he expected to happen? After all, the first four games of that 2020 season were incredibly tough.
35 percent likelihood of CRENNEL dishes
The defensive coordinator is Anthony Weaver.
Following multiple seasons as a position coach, Weaver spent one season as the Texans’ defensive coordinator. The 2020 season likely put a few years back on his ascent because he was a rising star and very well-liked by the players. He is now Miami’s DC. I would like Weaver to share his thoughts with me regarding the 2020 offseason, in which the Texans failed to make any improvements to their defensive line. Weaver was doomed to failure in a way.
15% are likely to be WEAVER dishes.
Head coach DAVID CULLEY (yes, he was the head coach)
Even though Culley was a lousy head coach, I really enjoyed his speeches! He wasn’t a very good head coach, but he was a great storyteller. I have no problem with Culley discussing anything from his time there. Simply wrap him up and release him; a minimum of twelve exquisite nuggets will be revealed.
60 percent likelihood of CULLEY dishes
The name of Jack Easterby
This podcast WILL happen eventually, and when it does, there won’t be many Easterby fingerprints on the Houston Texans’ collapse during his tenure in the building, ol’ Jacko says. He did, to his credit, deliver Caserio, who has proven to be an excellent general manager. I’m sure Easterby is claiming credit for THAT somewhere while putting the blame elsewhere for Caserio’s initial hiring necessity.
90% of the time, Easter dishes are made.
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