The Houston Texans rode the NFL’s top-ranked defense to a wild-card berth in 2025.
They returned 10 starters from a unit that allowed a league-low 17.4 points per game.
But after an 0-4 start to the 2026 season, head coach DeMeco Ryans announced Wednesday that he would take over the defensive play-calling responsibilities from coordinator Matt Burke.
“If there’s a lack in communication, I look at myself first, so it starts with me and making sure I’m a better communicator,” Ryans said during his Wednesday news conference. “If our guys are saying communication is not right, then ultimately it falls on me. So, it’s on me to get it fixed.
“It’s no slight against coach Burke. He’s done an outstanding job. Just want to make sure I can streamline communication in the best way possible so that isn’t the theme when I stand up here the next time I see you guys and talk about communication.”
Ryans and Burke both came to Houston in 2023, and the defense has never allowed more than 21.9 points per game.
However, the Texans are 20th in yards allowed per game (343.8) and 27th in points allowed per game (27.3).
The final straw came Sunday when, after holding the Dallas Cowboys to six first-half points, Houston permitted 28 in the second half of a 34-30 loss.
“It’s a tough decision to make. Also, as a head coach, I have a lot of tough decisions I have to make,” Ryans said. “My decisions are not always a popular opinion. I’m not in this role to please a lot of people’s opinions.
“I have to do what’s best for this team and make sure I’m leading in that way, and unfortunately, everybody isn’t happy when you make changes, when you make decisions from my chair. Everybody isn’t happy, and that’s OK because I know everything that I try to do and strive to do is for the men in that locker room: to give those guys the best chance possible to go out and win our first football game.”
