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Welcome to Houston Jack Easterby

Lucky

Ride, Captain, Ride!
Staff member
Here's a prescient comment on Easterby making a power grab in Houston, from a New England reporter. 16 months before O'Brien is fired.
Easterby knows all of the particulars involved intimately. He could have coaxed O'Brien and owner Cal McNair to make a play for Caserio, despite knowing Caserio's contract status. Easterby would have known that making a play for Caserio around the ring ceremony — a holy day on the Kraft Family calendar — would anger them to no end and possibly lead to warfare against the Texans. The fallout would be the Patriots drawing a hard line and holding Caserio to his contract, and O'Brien balking at sending a draft pick in compensation for Caserio when he would be a free agent in less than a year.

That would leave a power void in Houston for Easterby himself to step into once he ingratiates himself in the organization. We're only a few steps away from Easterby sidling up to McNair and being in a position to take over Texans' entire football operations whenever O'Brien is fired.)
By Greg A. Bedard, Posted on June 18, 2019.

No this isn't just a PFT/SI axe to grind for Amy Palcic. This is a revelation of Jack Easterby's true colors. They knew it in Foxboro. We're learning about it now, in Houston.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
I don’t understand why he can’t just publically put that out there with his own lips; very low risk of blowback on him if he did
I think he & Cal reached an agreement after their last text. He’ll continue to “act” upset for a couple of weeks. They’ll hire the HC of his choice. The HC will mend fences.

Easterby will be fired mid season for embezzling. Until then he’ll work as liaison to Nickelodeon.
 

Texian

Hall of Fame
Notice that Easterby called out Kraft (in a retweet by a former Patriot TE) after he left Foxboro. The damage had already been done.

(Checking)

Yep, this is the Jack Easterby thread. Where we discuss Jack Easterby.
Well you certainly have a fascination for Easterby. At this juncture I find him totally irrelevant. His damage is done. It was the brain the trust of Bill O'Brien and Jack Easterby that has brought Nick Caserio to the Houston Texans. We are now saddled with the continuation of a same mindset for another 5 years.

While they are fiddling their thumbs, head coaching positions are filling up and the ranks of position coaches is becoming thin. Through a process of default and being put in a position of duress by Watson, the next head coach of the Texans will be the coach that nobody else wanted, Eric Bienemy. Bienemy will hire all of his buddies and the next chapter of Texans Average and Ordinary will begin. This is the only way they can keep Watson and they will take the bait. Because it is Cal and the Houston Texans.
 
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steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
They're reporters that are reporting. I know we don't get a lot of that in these parts. But, this is what it looks like.
Ok, so now we're supposed to believe Florio's rag which has certain leanings is gospel? It seems as though some use the media to validate their beliefs. I dont trust the media. Scheffty/Glazer/Mort are about the only guys I kind of trust.
 
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maverick512000

Hall of Fame
Duane Brown, Clowney, now Watson and Watt. AJ complaining about wasted careers. We are gaining a bad reputation. I’m not saying we need to bow down and do whatever the players want, but we can work with them and make it a desirable place to play instead of whatever the hell we are doing now.
Brown had a personal issue with Bob McNair over is inmates comment. That situation was FUBAR from the word go.

Clowney got sent to the team he wanted, where he did jack, and we paid half his salary to do it. He thought he was worth Mack money, Texans thought differently and when he hit F/A he learned the rest of the league did as well.

Watson, to be continued but either way he knew what the team was when he signed the contract that made him the second highest paid player in history.

Watt is frustrated and I don't really blame him but if reports are to be believed Texans are trying to give him what he wants and let him play for a championship team maybe even with his brothers, a player can't ask for much more than that in a trade.

AJ as great as he was he has had an axe to grind with the Texans ever since OB told him his best days were behind him and he would be a 40 carry back. AJ disagreed and wanted a trade so they sent him to the Colts where he was, wait for it, a 40 carry back. Like or hate him fact is OB was right about AJ at that time and AJ has been angry about it since. Not saying he's wrong but he differently has a bias in his opinion.

Fact is there is no such thing as a "wasted career" after their rookie deal these guys can sign and play wherever they want depending on what kind of money they are willing to take. They could have played for the Pats last several years if they were willing to take league minimal money, I promise you NE would have made that happen. They wanted the bigger contract with more moeny and I don't blame them at all I would have to but you can't then complain that you aren't playing for a championship when you knew odds were you wouldn't be for awhile at least.
 

TexCanada

All Pro
I don’t disagree with you guys, but the argument that these players got what they wanted, or that they should have known to get away from this shitty franchise still leaves us with the fact that this is a shitty franchise.

We are in the process of driving our star QB out of town, and rumours are flying everywhere that this isn’t a good place to play. We are basically down to the last hope that Caserio ends up being a totally badass GM and swoops in a fixes everything immediately.
 

Texian

Hall of Fame
I don’t disagree with you guys, but the argument that these players got what they wanted, or that they should have known to get away from this shitty franchise still leaves us with the fact that this is a shitty franchise.

We are in the process of driving our star QB out of town, and rumours are flying everywhere that this isn’t a good place to play. We are basically down to the last hope that Caserio ends up being a totally badass GM and swoops in a fixes everything immediately.
It was the fact that Bill O'Brien and Jack Easterby LOVED THEM some Nick Caserio is how Caserio ended up in Houston. What does that do for your confidence factor?
 

TexCanada

All Pro
It was the fact that Bill O'Brien and Jack Easterby LOVED THEM some Nick Caserio is how Caserio ended up in Houston. What does that do for your confidence factor?
That’s not exactly the best endorsement coming from those two, but i don’t mind the Caserio hire. His job is almost impossible though. No cap space, no draft picks, no coaches, best player wants out. He’s going to have to get pretty much every decision bang on to wiggle out of this mess any time soon. Not an easy spot for any GM, let alone a first time GM.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
I don’t disagree with you guys, but the argument that these players got what they wanted, or that they should have known to get away from this shitty franchise still leaves us with the fact that this is a shitty franchise.

We are in the process of driving our star QB out of town, and rumours are flying everywhere that this isn’t a good place to play. We are basically down to the last hope that Caserio ends up being a totally badass GM and swoops in a fixes everything immediately.
I'm not worried about it, at the end of the day players play for who will pay them the most or who they get traded to. Very few players and very few situations where a player gets to say where they play unless they are a FA. Even then it comes down to money. Bell knew the Jets were a crap franchise and he would be the best player on that team but he still went. Fact is there aren't enough NFL jobs or enough money under the salary cap for players to be to picky. Every star player was just another possible bust in the draft at some point, the trick is drafting and creating your own star players and then filling holes with FA.

We as Texan fans are conditioned to think you have to try and get star players to come here because Smith couldn't draft anything past the first round and OB and his staff couldn't coach players to the next level. So we needed either naturally gifted players that would be great no matter who they played for like Hopkins or Watt or players that another team had coached up like Tunsil. IF Caserio is able to hit on most of the draft picks so they are at least solid and IF we bring in the right HC with the right staff we will start winning and winning fixes everything.
 

Texian

Hall of Fame
That’s not exactly the best endorsement coming from those two, but i don’t mind the Caserio hire. His job is almost impossible though. No cap space, no draft picks, no coaches, best player wants out. He’s going to have to get pretty much every decision bang on to wiggle out of this mess any time soon. Not an easy spot for any GM, let alone a first time GM.
First timer is a common phrase often used for many execs the Texans hire. I'm of the opinion that Caserio is just going to be another one in a long list of many Bill Belichick admin clerk who have flopped.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
I'm not worried about it, at the end of the day players play for who will pay them the most or who they get traded to. Very few players and very few situations where a player gets to say where they play unless they are a FA. Even then it comes down to money.
Yes & no... I believe Houston was a destination for B level players who wanted to get paid. When those guys got paid, they didn't play to win games or be great. They played to keep the direct deposits coming & we saw that on the field.

I think Kubiak turned that around & Jj Watt took it to another level as far as changing the culture on this team. However, it seems that direct deposit mentality crepped back in last season. & it's only getting worse. IMO.

With Watson, maybe a coach can get 53 guys together to play for a championship against what will be painfully obvious in 2021. & things change in 2022/2023. But without Watson, or with Watson leaving under these circumstances, that's a hard sell.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
Yes & no... I believe Houston was a destination for B level players who wanted to get paid. When those guys got paid, they didn't play to win games or be great. They played to keep the direct deposits coming & we saw that on the field.

I think Kubiak turned that around & Jj Watt took it to another level as far as changing the culture on this team. However, it seems that direct deposit mentality crepped back in last season. & it's only getting worse. IMO.

With Watson, maybe a coach can get 53 guys together to play for a championship against what will be painfully obvious in 2021. & things change in 2022/2023. But without Watson, or with Watson leaving under these circumstances, that's a hard sell.
I do see your point but fact is we are going to have to cut a lot of these guys and replace them with whoever already. I don't want to see Watson go but at the same time I don't like this crap he's pulling and whether he's right or wrong the way he's going about it is putting a bad taste in my mouth. There is also the fact that I never thought we would go very far before Watson's new contract was up anyway. Thats not on him but the team has so many holes to fill including a new coaching staff that it was going to be two years and then people can disregard it all they want but his contract was going to be an issue cap wise because we don't have the picks to surround him with rookie talent so if we were serious about a championship run we would have to bring in FAs which cost money we don't and most likely won't have.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Here's a prescient comment on Easterby making a power grab in Houston, from a New England reporter. 16 months before O'Brien is fired.
By Greg A. Bedard, Posted on June 18, 2019.

No this isn't just a PFT/SI axe to grind for Amy Palcic. This is a revelation of Jack Easterby's true colors. They knew it in Foxboro. We're learning about it now, in Houston.
Now now, let's not let facts get in the way of a good, unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that apparently lacks motive. It reminds me of the Flat Earth Society. None of it logically makes sense in any reasonable sort of way, but it sure is fun to entertain. Like the X-Files for the ESPN audience.

The truth is much more boring, and simple, and logical. There is a hole in Cal's heart where Bob used to be and Jack helps to fill it. And Cal has no idea how to run a football team, so Jack helps him with that, too, since he's got rings and all.
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
What's gonna be funny is they get Beinemy to appease Watson, and Watson still leaves seeing the mess isn't any better
What isn’t better? Yeah, Cal’s a bumbling fool, but a bumbling fool that gave him $110M guaranteed.

They have a real GM now, who is also the guy hiring the HC, and the offense doesn’t need much tweaking to be dangerous, provided Devlin is the first to go.

The defense OTOH, that’s gonna take a minute, but you’ve got to hope rock bottom has been achieved. Only one way to go now.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
In the interest of fairness, a positive Easterby article that is recent and from a current Houston Texans player:

Texans DE Charles Omenihu says Jack Easterby has been good to him

Charles Omenihu has no problems with Jack Easterby.

The former 2019 fifth-round defensive end from Texas took time to answer questions Monday while helping distribute 1,000 meals to residents in Houston’s Third Ward at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church.

“All of the decisions are really not up to me,” Omenihu said of the executive president of football operations. “So, my opinion really doesn’t change anything. All I know is Jack has been good to me. Jack has always been somebody that talked to me on the side and continue to give me a lot of support in my time with the Houston Texans. I can’t thank him enough for that. So, anything else beyond that is really I wouldn’t know and out of my control.”

Full article
 

theCATALYST

Football Messiah
I am more and more digging the idea.
The Houston Archangels
Team Colors - White, Silver, Gold trim / Jersey will have angel wings on shoulders or back
Logo - An Angel Charging into battle, football in hand
Stadium Music - Organs

Since games are played on Sundays, we can pray before each game, something we could all kneel for.
Maybe a free bible on every seat.
 

Texans_Chick

Utopian Dreamer
Hi friends. Was thinking of y'all. Scrolled through the thread and here are some thoughts:

1. Thanks for the kind words about my writing. I'm not a scream for firing people person but it was pretty obvious just from public sources that people were trying to keep their heads low and hope that McNair would choose a fresh start after the season. As I wrote about the Caserio press conference, it was the worst I've ever seen, I knew it would receive a terrible reaction and it did.

2. Through his words and deeds, McNair cares about Easterby over everyone: players, staff, fans, money, professionalism, his own reputation. He thinks he is doing what is right and he wants you to trust that what he is doing is right. That was his opening statement of the presser. After there was a poor reaction to it, he doubled down in his comments to John McClain:

“The scrutiny on Jack is really unjustified,” McNair said Friday. “Jack was put into that role (interim GM) the organization needed by me. If missteps were made during that process, we’ll own those within our building.
“Jack will (return) to the role (executive VP of football operations) he was brought here for and what he grew into after he got here.”

He believes the big issue was being made interim GM without being qualified for it. Which is a problem. Also being made VP of football operations without being qualified for it. Also a problem. But doesn't address some of the bigger issues you got a sense of in the SI pieces. His choices ignore those pieces because his view is that what he is doing what is right.

3. Watson has been put in a bad situation. Like he knows his role, but what do you do when your boss has created a toxic environment?
The Deshaun Watson question hanging over the NFL: Should an elite QB be able to dictate a coach or GM search? I don't think that is framed quite right. I don't think he wants to. I think he feels the need to after how ugly it has been for the last couple of years. He has been begging for positive energy. His last presser was sad.

From that piece:


"In a way, Watson represents every Texans player right now.
As one longtime former member of Houston’s executive management texted Thursday night: “I think Watson speaks for so many people in that building that nave no voice. They never corrected the [Bill O’Brien] problems and now they have festered to a point that the first franchise quarterback since 1993 wants to leave town. You just can’t let that happen.”

Like OB had his own issues but the Easterby issues are much bigger. The Texans problems have never been ones of self-sacrifice or work hardy stuff. It has been having football people running football things. Cal/Easterby have really botched that up. Watson expressing himself is more than just communication.

Anyway, this is my opinion based on observation. I don't think it makes a lick of sense to get rid of Watson, and if your culture doesn't have a place for him, then you ain't gonna have a place for a lot of people.
 

Lucky

Ride, Captain, Ride!
Staff member
Through his words and deeds, McNair cares about Easterby over everyone: players, staff, fans, money, professionalism, his own reputation. He thinks he is doing what is right and he wants you to trust that what he is doing is right. That was his opening statement of the presser.
I don't know what Cal is trying to achieve with this "doing what's right" stuff. For fans, doing what's right equates to winning football games and scoring TDs while you do. No one is paying $150 a ticket to see a prayer meeting. This has no value to fans. Bringing in players that "do what's right" is fine. As long as they can play and help the team win. If they can't, bring in guys that don't do things right, but just win.

Just win, baby. It's not just a catchy phrase. It's all anyone wants or cares about.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
“The scrutiny on Jack is really unjustified,” McNair said Friday. “Jack was put into that role (interim GM) the organization needed by me. If missteps were made during that process, we’ll own those within our building.
Good seeing you here again.

however, I think Cal knows Easterby is getting blamed for things Cal knows he had nothing to do with. & it’s not right to fire a man for something he didn’t do.

I agree there is dysfunction in the organization. I just think everyone is watching the wrong hand.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
Hi friends. Was thinking of y'all. Scrolled through the thread and here are some thoughts:

1. Thanks for the kind words about my writing. I'm not a scream for firing people person but it was pretty obvious just from public sources that people were trying to keep their heads low and hope that McNair would choose a fresh start after the season. As I wrote about the Caserio press conference, it was the worst I've ever seen, I knew it would receive a terrible reaction and it did.

2. Through his words and deeds, McNair cares about Easterby over everyone: players, staff, fans, money, professionalism, his own reputation. He thinks he is doing what is right and he wants you to trust that what he is doing is right. That was his opening statement of the presser. After there was a poor reaction to it, he doubled down in his comments to John McClain:

“The scrutiny on Jack is really unjustified,” McNair said Friday. “Jack was put into that role (interim GM) the organization needed by me. If missteps were made during that process, we’ll own those within our building.
“Jack will (return) to the role (executive VP of football operations) he was brought here for and what he grew into after he got here.”

He believes the big issue was being made interim GM without being qualified for it. Which is a problem. Also being made VP of football operations without being qualified for it. Also a problem. But doesn't address some of the bigger issues you got a sense of in the SI pieces. His choices ignore those pieces because his view is that what he is doing what is right.

3. Watson has been put in a bad situation. Like he knows his role, but what do you do when your boss has created a toxic environment?
The Deshaun Watson question hanging over the NFL: Should an elite QB be able to dictate a coach or GM search? I don't think that is framed quite right. I don't think he wants to. I think he feels the need to after how ugly it has been for the last couple of years. He has been begging for positive energy. His last presser was sad.

From that piece:


"In a way, Watson represents every Texans player right now.
As one longtime former member of Houston’s executive management texted Thursday night: “I think Watson speaks for so many people in that building that nave no voice. They never corrected the [Bill O’Brien] problems and now they have festered to a point that the first franchise quarterback since 1993 wants to leave town. You just can’t let that happen.”

Like OB had his own issues but the Easterby issues are much bigger. The Texans problems have never been ones of self-sacrifice or work hardy stuff. It has been having football people running football things. Cal/Easterby have really botched that up. Watson expressing himself is more than just communication.

Anyway, this is my opinion based on observation. I don't think it makes a lick of sense to get rid of Watson, and if your culture doesn't have a place for him, then you ain't gonna have a place for a lot of people.
Thanks for this post and your unbiased tweets. The one question I have is if Cal believes Easterby was unqualified for the EVP and interim GM roles, how does he plan to rectify the situation? By most accounts, it doesn't appear that Easterby will return to being over player development.
 

Texans_Chick

Utopian Dreamer
Is Cal a problem? Yes. Mostly because his most trusted advisor is Jack Easterby who has, in his time with the Texans, had terrible football and people sense, and Cal is not really listening to anyone else, even those who have his and the team's best interest at their center.

Cal McNair's exact words:

"As we look forward, it's important for me to remind everyone who the Houston Texans are as an organization. Our culture has been repeatedly under question this season, so let me clear that up for all of you right now. We are an organization committed to excellence, both on and off the field. We operate with integrity, character, a winning mentality and a strong sense of community. We believe you can't go wrong by doing what's right, and ask our fans to trust that we know what's right. In everything we do, we are an organization committed to bringing a championship to the city of Houston."

The idea that there is one *right* way to win and we should just trust them is a very black and white way to think of game theory and also, they have given us zero reason to trust them. Winning is about maximizing probabilities, putting good pieces together, and they have gone out of their way to alienate their best players and cause their fans to suffer. How is that right?


Also, yes, Easterby is being blamed for decisions that were solely Cal's, his and Cal's, his, Cal's and OBs. And it is noble to take the hit for those as the boss. It is not noble to allow your boss to take all the blame that is yours. You should not take jobs you are not qualified for or can hurt your organization.

You can't read those two SI reports and the obvious unhappiness with a non-football guy Easterby being in Cal's and the GM's ears, and think it is all Cal. As described in those stories, Easterby is unprofessional in his role with the Texans. His public twitter is unprofessional. Like I know he is looking for leaks but my goodness, just looking at public info, it is all in plain sight.

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-draft-free-agency-news-rumors-2021-senior-bowl/

Screen Shot 2021-01-25 at 8.19.05 PM.png

Like I am not buying any of the trade news. It makes zero sense for the Texans to trade Watson and there is no value that could exist that would be worth the football and business problems trading Deshaun Watson. You would be telling the Texans fan base that Easterby is more important than everyone. But given how Cal is behaving, you can't take anything off the table. Last year with Easterby in charge and no buffer of other org, it was a misery. You shouldn't have the QB answering in the last presser that he didn't let the GM situation be a distraction. Usually distractions are external things, not the guy who is running stuff.

Are changes sometimes hard? Sure sometimes! But usually, this is the hopeful time of the year, and they have botched this. The Texans should be in a position where players, staff, and fans are totally stoked and we have this nonsense. They do a terrible job of reading the room but they don't care because they know what is right and want you to trust them.
 

Texans_Chick

Utopian Dreamer
Thanks for this post and your unbiased tweets. The one question I have is if Cal believes Easterby was unqualified for the EVP and interim GM roles, how does he plan to rectify the situation? By most accounts, it doesn't appear that Easterby will return to being over player development.
Hi there! I am not unbiased. My biases are open. I want the Texans win with the fire of a million suns. My biases are for experienced professionals to run a team professionally and not run off good players and staff in counterproductive, ugly ways or for poor value. My biases are for people who deal with crisis professionally and not be the arsonist who gets rewarded for arsoning and making things worse. Creating fear, chaos, disharmony for players, staff, and fans is unprofessional and can hurt winning. Football is hard enough without dealing with office politics.

Well, publicly Caserio has said that Easterby will have an "important role" not in personnel. That they are not ready to discuss it yet which was very weird. That should be an easy thing to say but for the distrust. But it sounded like going back to EVP for Football Ops, a role usually held by someone with a different and more professional background. And if they are actually good at what they do, you likely have no idea who they are. That he has influence and the ear of the owner and GM may make his actual title unimportant. Players will have to deal with him.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Hi friends. Was thinking of y'all. Scrolled through the thread and here are some thoughts:

1. Thanks for the kind words about my writing. I'm not a scream for firing people person but it was pretty obvious just from public sources that people were trying to keep their heads low and hope that McNair would choose a fresh start after the season. As I wrote about the Caserio press conference, it was the worst I've ever seen, I knew it would receive a terrible reaction and it did.

2. Through his words and deeds, McNair cares about Easterby over everyone: players, staff, fans, money, professionalism, his own reputation. He thinks he is doing what is right and he wants you to trust that what he is doing is right. That was his opening statement of the presser. After there was a poor reaction to it, he doubled down in his comments to John McClain:

“The scrutiny on Jack is really unjustified,” McNair said Friday. “Jack was put into that role (interim GM) the organization needed by me. If missteps were made during that process, we’ll own those within our building.
“Jack will (return) to the role (executive VP of football operations) he was brought here for and what he grew into after he got here.”

He believes the big issue was being made interim GM without being qualified for it. Which is a problem. Also being made VP of football operations without being qualified for it. Also a problem. But doesn't address some of the bigger issues you got a sense of in the SI pieces. His choices ignore those pieces because his view is that what he is doing what is right.

3. Watson has been put in a bad situation. Like he knows his role, but what do you do when your boss has created a toxic environment?
The Deshaun Watson question hanging over the NFL: Should an elite QB be able to dictate a coach or GM search? I don't think that is framed quite right. I don't think he wants to. I think he feels the need to after how ugly it has been for the last couple of years. He has been begging for positive energy. His last presser was sad.

From that piece:


"In a way, Watson represents every Texans player right now.
As one longtime former member of Houston’s executive management texted Thursday night: “I think Watson speaks for so many people in that building that nave no voice. They never corrected the [Bill O’Brien] problems and now they have festered to a point that the first franchise quarterback since 1993 wants to leave town. You just can’t let that happen.”

Like OB had his own issues but the Easterby issues are much bigger. The Texans problems have never been ones of self-sacrifice or work hardy stuff. It has been having football people running football things. Cal/Easterby have really botched that up. Watson expressing himself is more than just communication.

Anyway, this is my opinion based on observation. I don't think it makes a lick of sense to get rid of Watson, and if your culture doesn't have a place for him, then you ain't gonna have a place for a lot of people.
This came from soon to be ex-president Jamey Rootes.

Employees/Soon to be ex employees with an axe to grind.

Persnally I think Easterby needs to be fired but the SI piece was nothing but a hit piece.
 
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