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David Culley Fired After One Season!

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
Again, my issue is not with firing Culley after one year. It's the normalizing of this "placeholder" HC nonsense. All my years of watching the NFL. I don't recall hearing of placeholder HCs.
You have now. How does a David Culley even get a sniff if he's not a placeholder? I know somebody will tell you there's been plenty of HCs who were never coordinators before, and though that's true, none of them had been in the league for 27 years before they were given the opportunity. This wasn't some young, innovative mind turning heads and working his way up. This guy's been doing it for 27 years.

Culley was hired to be positive and take the heat for a season everyone expected to be bad, while Caserio tries to rebuild this franchise. And for that reason I thought for sure Culley would be around another year, but they'd fire Kelly to make it look like they were trying. Something must have happened with Caserio's "guy" that accelerated the process. Or maybe that "guy" just simply said hey Nick, I'm ready now, let's do this. Of course that "guy" still has to wait until at least after the Buffalo game Saturday night at the earliest.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
I'm sorry. But this placeholder justification theory and so many posters being okay with it is just suprising to me. My problem is when a GM is hired, he should immediately start thinking about how to proceed with putting a winning product on the field not how can he wait for his BFF to be available. What if Belichick decided to retire this year and McDaniels replaced him? What if the Dolphins don't fire Flores? What about Culley getting some breaks and winning 6 games? They would just ride with Culley for another year or two? Knowing that he is not the long term solution and a terrible HC? That's my point. Culley should not have been hired in the first place. You hire the best available people immediately to help you rebuild the franchise.

Don't get me wrong. IMHO, Culley should not have been hired, I don't really care that he got fired and Kelly should have left with BOB. However, didn't they decline interview requests for Kelly? Did Pep, Lovie and Campen know they were being hired to work for a "placeholder" HC that might last just one year? If they knew. Would they have wasted a year of their lives being pawns in Caserio and Easterby's cynical, "wait for our guy" game?

This Easterby was hired to bring Caserio and Culley was hired to wait on McDaniels is so outside the norm. It's the same dysfunction and BS that is the foundation of this franchise but now that the dysfunction and BS is coming from ex Patriots and people they like, many posters now water down the BS and dysfunction. IMHO, no matter how you slice it. It's still BS and dysfunction. The Texans are an outlier in how they are conducting business. Time will tell if this Culture Club @ NRG management style will work. Personally, if I was a competent assistant coach, I would not want any part of this club.
Preach brother Earl.
Big Facts
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
That's true. But none of those guys were hired to be "placeholders". Kitchens was hired because he replaced Hue Jackson, finished with a 5-3 record and his relationship with Baker Mayfield. Wilks was seen as a hot candidate and an up and coming defensive mind. I don't recall the details of Shell's multiple stints with the Raiders.

For clarification. I don't have an issue with firing a HC with a minimum of 1 or 2 years. I don't even have any issues with a succession plan for an older HC and a qualified assistant on staff ready to take over. My issue is the normalizing of this "placeholder" HC theory. It's not how teams operate.
But to be a little fair, who else would’ve came here to coach under those conditions? I mean dang the Texans in a blink of an eye became the most laughable organization in sports history.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
Ehh, depends on how u view it I guess. Les Snead let Jeff Fisher hang on for 5 horrible years as the HC of the Rams all the while knowing the Rams would be moving to LA within the next 2-3 years. He let that dude put up some horrible teams in that time & it was painfully obvious Fisher wasn’t the future by year 2. AS SOON as they got to LA, Snead ups and fires Fisher and hires McVay “just in time” complete with a loaded out young talented & cheap roster.

So my question to you is, do you consider Fisher a “placeholder” HC even tho Snead kept him around for 5 long grueling years……as he replenished the Rams roster with the high draft picks from Fisher’s shitty teams…..& b/c of Fisher’s experience with teams moving from 1 city to another? It’s the same placeholder HC concept just drawn out longer.
Different situations brother Tex. That team was not going through what the Texans are going through right now.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
You have now. How does a David Culley even get a sniff if he's not a placeholder? I know somebody will tell you there's been plenty of HCs who were never coordinators before, and though that's true, none of them had been in the league for 27 years before they were given the opportunity. This wasn't some young, innovative mind turning heads and working his way up. This guy's been doing it for 27 years.

Culley was hired to be positive and take the heat for a season everyone expected to be bad, while Caserio tries to rebuild this franchise. And for that reason I thought for sure Culley would be around another year, but they'd fire Kelly to make it look like they were trying. Something must have happened with Caserio's "guy" that accelerated the process. Or maybe that "guy" just simply said hey Nick, I'm ready now, let's do this. Of course that "guy" still has to wait until at least after the Buffalo game Saturday night at the earliest.
What went wrong was quoted in Caserio’s presser. “ While a change after one season is unusual, we had philosophical differences over the long-term direction and vision for our program going forward “.

Basically saying Culley did not understand the assignment.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
Again, my issue is not with firing Culley after one year. It's the normalizing of this "placeholder" HC nonsense. All my years of watching the NFL. I don't recall hearing of placeholder HCs.
This “placeholder” theory you talk about though is just the common thing being thrown around here. In reality nobody here knows why Culley was fired.

Could be it was because him and Kelly were hired/kept to try and appease Watson and now that’s not needed, could be it was because he didn’t want to change staff and they wanted Kelly gone, could be they did intend to keep him at least one more year then out of no where Flores became available or yes it could be that he was just a placeholder.

Point is we don’t know yet and we may never really know because Texans actually keep a lot of their stuff in house. Hell people around here still argue about why Gaines was fired.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I'm sorry. But this placeholder justification theory and so many posters being okay with it is just suprising to me. My problem is when a GM is hired, he should immediately start thinking about how to proceed with putting a winning product on the field not how can he wait for his BFF to be available. What if Belichick decided to retire this year and McDaniels replaced him? What if the Dolphins don't fire Flores? What about Culley getting some breaks and winning 6 games? They would just ride with Culley for another year or two? Knowing that he is not the long term solution and a terrible HC? That's my point. Culley should not have been hired in the first place. You hire the best available people immediately to help you rebuild the franchise.

Don't get me wrong. IMHO, Culley should not have been hired, I don't really care that he got fired and Kelly should have left with BOB. However, didn't they decline interview requests for Kelly? Did Pep, Lovie and Campen know they were being hired to work for a "placeholder" HC that might last just one year? If they knew. Would they have wasted a year of their lives being pawns in Caserio and Easterby's cynical, "wait for our guy" game?

This Easterby was hired to bring Caserio and Culley was hired to wait on McDaniels is so outside the norm. It's the same dysfunction and BS that is the foundation of this franchise but now that the dysfunction and BS is coming from ex Patriots and people they like, many posters now water down the BS and dysfunction. IMHO, no matter how you slice it. It's still BS and dysfunction. The Texans are an outlier in how they are conducting business. Time will tell if this Culture Club @ NRG management style will work. Personally, if I was a competent assistant coach, I would not want any part of this club.
Other successful teams have done this. Rams/Cards etc... and have been successful. They had a plan and are in the process of executing their plan. There's no dysfunction when this was the plan all along. Dont believe me? Then why did Caserio structure Culley's contract to guarantee only 2 yrs of a 5 yr deal?

Like I said, you may not like the cut throat way Caserio does business. I kinda like it. It's time to move on to the next 2 phases of the rebuild. 1. Find the next HC (Hopefully McDaniels) and add some star level players with the picks and Derrick trade picks.

I'm of the thought process that you get talent in place, then bring in the HC you really want if the guy you wanted wasn't available at the time Culley was hired. Like I said, you may not like the way this business was done, but it happens in the corporate world.
 

Brisco_County

Apples and roadmaps
"Philosophical differences." Uh huh. Any doubt Culley would be one and done was eliminated when we discovered Caserio was in his headset.

And if he knew the whole time this was just a million dollar joyride then I'm happy for him. His kids are set. If he didn't know, I'm still happy for him.

Either way, David Culley is now my second favorite HC in Texans history.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
You have now. How does a David Culley even get a sniff if he's not a placeholder? I know somebody will tell you there's been plenty of HCs who were never coordinators before, and though that's true, none of them had been in the league for 27 years before they were given the opportunity. This wasn't some young, innovative mind turning heads and working his way up. This guy's been doing it for 27 years.

Culley was hired to be positive and take the heat for a season everyone expected to be bad, while Caserio tries to rebuild this franchise. And for that reason I thought for sure Culley would be around another year, but they'd fire Kelly to make it look like they were trying. Something must have happened with Caserio's "guy" that accelerated the process. Or maybe that "guy" just simply said hey Nick, I'm ready now, let's do this. Of course that "guy" still has to wait until at least after the Buffalo game Saturday night at the earliest.
Listen to Culley’s presser here on twitter. The man was in his ear telling him to let New England score. Lol
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I am not necessarily pulling for BF but it is quite impressive how he turned the Dolphins around after such an awful start. I thought I heard some sports reporter say that he had the biggest turn around in NFL history. I may be wrong but none the less the turn around was quite impressive.
He beat up on a bunch of bottom feeder teams. Including the Texans. Did you think the Dolphins looked good against the Texans? Or did TT just suck.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
dear owner, we are going to hire a guy who isn’t suited for the job as a placeholder and sign him to a contract where after we fire home after one season (because we all know he’s going to fail) you are still on the hook for $22 million. Sound good?
4 mil.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
But to be a little fair, who else would’ve came here to coach under those conditions? I mean dang the Texans in a blink of an eye became the most laughable organization in sports history.
For 8 mil, alot of asst coaches that have been around a long time would take this gig.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
Ummmm... all reports are saying 22 mil. We paid a dude 22 mil to keep a seat warm for one season.

Then there's people that claim the McNairs are cheap. They ain't cheap, they just spend stupidly.
Yes Culley said he has 3 years but WE didn’t pay him anything. That’s something I don’t understand about this place is people talk about the coach salary or GM salary as if it has any effect on the team. If it hit the cap then I would understand but it doesn’t so who cares.

Cal and the McNairs could pay someone a million a year to dress up as a kettle and sing I’m a Little Tea Pot every day for all I care as long as it doesn’t hit the cap.
 
He beat up on a bunch of bottom feeder teams. Including the Texans. Did you think the Dolphins looked good against the Texans? Or did TT just suck.
I don't care how you look at it. Finishing 8-1 after starting1-7 is an impressive feat that can't simply be explained away by a weak schedule. I am not pulling for BF to be our head coach by the way. I personally felt DC deserved another season as head coach. Still, BF should find another head coaching job in relatively short order. I don't much trust anything NC and our team does at this point. I hope for the best but expect the worst.
 
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Texansballer74

The Marine
I don't care how you look at it. Finishing 8-1 after starting1-7 is an impressive feat that can't simply be explained away by a weak schedule. I am not pulling for BF to be our head coach by the way. I personally felt DC deserved another season as head coach. Still, BF should quickly find anoher head coaching job in relatively short order. I don't much trust anything NC and our team does at this point. I hope for the best but expect the worst.
If he does get the job, he will be on dudes hit list because he shares the same agent as Watson. Therefore, we all can get ready for all of the bashing that he will spew. Best believe that lol
 
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dream_team

Hall of Fame
Yes Culley said he has 3 years but WE didn’t pay him anything. That’s something I don’t understand about this place is people talk about the coach salary or GM salary as if it has any effect on the team. If it hit the cap then I would understand but it doesn’t so who cares.

Cal and the McNairs could pay someone a million a year to dress up as a kettle and sing I’m a Little Tea Pot every day for all I care as long as it doesn’t hit the cap.
You don't think fans are helping fund their salary?

But, I'm more concerned about ownership continuing to not make wise decisions. Handing out money irresponsibly doesn't give me faith they are competent enough to build a winning team.
 

Mangler

Toro de España
Why are y’all so upset Culley was let go? The guy sucked! Caserio had to hold his hand during games through the headset. The guy was given a shot and A LOT of money just to have fun impersonating a HC. If any of y’all still wanted Culley as the HC for the Texans after the 2021 season, then may god bless your slow souls.

Caserio now has HC options to choose from, along with a full draft board to work with.

Ok, I apologize for referring to the Culley fans as slow pokes. Haven’t had my morning coffee.
 

amazing80

Hall of Fame
Why are y’all so upset Culley was let go? The guy sucked! Caserio had to hold his hand during games through the headset. The guy was given a shot and A LOT of money just to have fun impersonating a HC. If any of y’all still wanted Culley as the HC for the Texans after the 2021 season, then may god bless your slow souls.

Caserio now has HC options to choose from, along with a full draft board to work with.

Ok, I apologize for referring to the Culley fans as slow pokes. Haven’t had my morning coffee.
Yeah I don’t get it either. We all agree he shouldn’t have been hired and this was inevitable. Last year time was wasted because of NC hire and Watson debacle. Now they have the chance to run interviews and have a top pick of their choosing. Let’s see who they pick
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
Ehh, depends on how u view it I guess. Les Snead let Jeff Fisher hang on for 5 horrible years as the HC of the Rams all the while knowing the Rams would be moving to LA within the next 2-3 years. He let that dude put up some horrible teams in that time & it was painfully obvious Fisher wasn’t the future by year 2. AS SOON as they got to LA, Snead ups and fires Fisher and hires McVay “just in time” complete with a loaded out young talented & cheap roster.

So my question to you is, do you consider Fisher a “placeholder” HC even tho Snead kept him around for 5 long grueling years……as he replenished the Rams roster with the high draft picks from Fisher’s shitty teams…..& b/c of Fisher’s experience with teams moving from 1 city to another? It’s the same placeholder HC concept just drawn out longer.
I don't consider Fisher a "placeholder" because Fisher did not report to Snead. He reported to the owner and had control over personnel. What got Fisher fired was he was feuding with Snead, didn't want the owner to renew Snead's contract, bad personnel decisions like drafting Tavon Austin with the 8th pick in the draft, his notoriously bad offenses, his 31-45 record and his 8-8 records that became a punch line.

So, no. Fisher wasn't a placeholder HC. If he had done a better job developing Goff or was coaching an exciting brand of football or not feuding and trying to get his GM fired, he might have survived the move to LA. Also, based on how McVay was able to develop Goff, it was the right move to fire him. It's funny how the Rams drafting became better once Fisher was fired.
 

Texazan

Our HOF 34
What went wrong was quoted in Caserio’s presser. “ While a change after one season is unusual, we had philosophical differences over the long-term direction and vision for our program going forward “.

Basically saying Culley did not understand the assignment.
So did Nick get a "right"? in there after that comment? If not then that's the signal that Caserio is full of ****. :fib
 

Mr teX

Hall of Fame
Why are y’all so upset Culley was let go? The guy sucked! Caserio had to hold his hand during games through the headset. The guy was given a shot and A LOT of money just to have fun impersonating a HC. If any of y’all still wanted Culley as the HC for the Texans after the 2021 season, then may god bless your slow souls.

Caserio now has HC options to choose from, along with a full draft board to work with.

Ok, I apologize for referring to the Culley fans as slow pokes. Haven’t had my morning coffee.
There’s been a video posted in 1 of these million NC/David Culley threads….NC has ALWAYS been on The headsets, yes even with Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels. This has been known for years. So was he “holding” arguably the GOAT HC’s hands through games too all these years? You’re rationale flies in the face of reality. NC’s style is just different from pretty much most GM’s…
 

Texazan

Our HOF 34
Why are y’all so upset Culley was let go? The guy sucked!
Right? This firing is getting dissected to no end but it's as simple as Nick/Jack realizing they made a boo boo and couldn't go down the road any longer with DC so they cut bait. I got no issue with that. He was bad. Good guy bad coach. Oh and the fact that some of their buddies are now on the market.
 

Texazan

Our HOF 34
There’s been a video posted in 1 of these million NC/David Culley threads….NC has ALWAYS been on The headsets, yes even with Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels. This has been known for years. So was he “holding” arguably the GOAT HC’s hands through games too all these years? You’re rationale flies in the face of reality. NC’s style is just different from pretty much most GM’s…
I saw that 4 minute video. IIRC it was just Josh he was piped in with? I don't think it was also BB, maybe I'm wrong I just recall JM talking with NC
 

Mr teX

Hall of Fame
I saw that 4 minute video. IIRC it was just Josh he was piped in with? I don't think it was also BB, maybe I'm wrong I just recall JM talking with NC
we’ll never really truly know, but I think it’s unlikely that he wasn’t plugged in with Bill too. Over the years Belichick has been credited with some pretty obscure but amazing strategic game management moves during games. I have the utmost respect for Belichick…….butI don’t believe for a second he was managing those games & situations as well as he did without the help of someone in his ear keeping him apprised of things that as a HC you could easily lose track of in close games.


That was probably part of the role NC carved out for himself in NE and why such a notorious control freak like Bill Belichick held him in high regard & continued to allow that dude to be on the headset…
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Power struggles
A player pulling the crap that he pulled after signing a mega contract.

Straight up dysfunctional starting with Cal and Janice.
The McNair's loyalty to BOB set the franchise back. It's my belief that BOB was going to be the temporary GM until Caserio could get out of his contract then he would be brought in to run the org. Unfortunately the power went to BOB_s head and we all know how that turned out.

Derrick is what lead to what's going on right now in the org. This will pass in a couple of months and things will get better after he's traded and the HC they wanted since the rebuild that Derrick's actions caused has passed.

This looks like dysfunction but it's my belief that this has been the plan from the moment cCulley was hired. Because of the way that Caserio structured Culleys contract.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Maybe I'm wrong but you'd naturally think that would be the case. I'd bet the majority were disfunctional or were at the time. At any rate it's never a good look for the org
Sometimes appearances aren't what they seem. Especially in the billion dollar corporate world.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I don't care how you look at it. Finishing 8-1 after starting1-7 is an impressive feat that can't simply be explained away by a weak schedule. I am not pulling for BF to be our head coach by the way. I personally felt DC deserved another season as head coach. Still, BF should quickly find anoher head coaching job in relatively short order. I don't much trust anything NC and our team does at this point. I hope for the best but expect the worst.
Why do you feel this way?

Especially when after seeing the way Culley's contract was setup. The only thing that changed was the timeframe got moved up because the guy Caserio wanted became available and if Caserio had waited he would've lost the guy he wanted.

No reason not to trust them. Unless you dont believe this is part of the plan or you didn't trust them from the beginning.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Ummmm... all reports are saying 22 mil. We paid a dude 22 mil to keep a seat warm for one season.

Then there's people that claim the McNairs are cheap. They ain't cheap, they just spend stupidly.
Those reports are incorrect.

2 yrs- 8 mil were guaranteed.

I got that info from somebody who would know.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
Why do you feel this way?

Especially when after seeing the way Culley's contract was setup. The only thing that changed was the timeframe got moved up because the guy Caserio wanted became available and if Caserio had waited he would've lost the guy he wanted.

No reason not to trust them. Unless you dont believe this is part of the plan or you didn't trust them from the beginning.
I know in Nicky we trust and you're hoping he hires McDaniels. What are your thoughts if he doesn't hire McDaniels or Flores and ends up hiring someone who was available last year? Is it going to be considered another "placeholder" HC while he waits for one of his BFFs to become available?
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
What went wrong was quoted in Caserio’s presser. “ While a change after one season is unusual, we had philosophical differences over the long-term direction and vision for our program going forward “.

Basically saying Culley did not understand the assignment.
Philosophical differences huh? Does that mean Nick wanted 1:1 and Culley won too many games? Ain’t buying the philosophical differences BS.

I think who Nick wanted all along said he’s ready to come and Nick let the placeholder go to make it happen.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Like I said, you may not like the cut throat way Caserio does business. I kinda like it. It's time to move on to the next 2 phases of the rebuild.
What in particular makes it "time to move on the next 2 phases of the rebuild? What went right in the first year of Caserio?
 

DBCooper

Outlaw
Contributor's Club
Yeah I don’t get it either. We all agree he shouldn’t have been hired and this was inevitable. Last year time was wasted because of NC hire and Watson debacle. Now they have the chance to run interviews and have a top pick of their choosing. Let’s see who they pick
Yep.

Let’s call it Caserio’s mulligan year and now let’s make decisions that move this franchise forward.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I know in Nicky we trust and you're hoping he hires McDaniels. What are your thoughts if he doesn't hire McDaniels or Flores and ends up hiring someone who was available last year? Is it going to be considered another "placeholder" HC while he waits for one of his BFFs to become available?
Depends on who he hires.

If he hires another Culley type HC then I will be disappointed. But I don't think that's going to happen.
 
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