Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans, CJ Stroud Rank High as QB-Coach Duo

The NFL is in the thick of the offseason, which leaves plenty of time for discussion across the league. The Houston Texans are one of the few teams receiving a lot of praise and hype heading into the 2024 NFL season.

After going 10-7 and winning a playoff game last season – the first year with head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback CJ Stroud together – the hype machine in favor of Houston makes sense .

As Stroud emerged as a star quarterback heading into his second season with Ryans and the Texans, the team put additional talent around him, acquiring running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, adding an already talented attack.

Still, Ryans and Stroud are poised for another incredible season, as the quarterback-head coach duo is among the best in the NFL. Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated ranked all 32 quarterback-head coach duos in the NFL, with the Texans duo ranking 4th in the entire league.

“That may be a bit high for Ryans, but it’s hard not to be optimistic. The Texans won 11 games total in three years before his arrival and won 10 last year,” wrote Verderame. “Then there’s Stroud, who looks to be the next great NFL quarterback. As a rookie, he passed for 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. “

While Stroud’s emergence as a star quarterback over the course of last season had a lot to do with this ranking, one thing to keep in mind is that Ryans immediately proved he was the right hire for Houston. The Texans immediately turned things around under his leadership.

The improvement from three to ten wins wasn’t entirely on Stroud. Did Stroud being a superstar help? Absolutely. But Ryans coaches a complete, talented team from top to bottom. It’s no surprise that they rank so high in the NFL among all duos.

Stay with TexansGameday for more coverage on the Houston Texans throughout the offseason.

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KADE KIMBLE