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Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

DeMeco Ryans Has Texans Thriving After Early Adversity

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Keith Cummings | Last updated Dec 26, 2025 2:00 PM ET

After beginning this season off with a brutal 0-3 record to start, the Houston Texans are suddenly a ten-win team who just about nobody will want to face come playoff time.

While it's not like Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is flying under the radar– he might still get overlooked when it comes time to hand out the NFL Coach of the Year Award. Nevertheless, Ryans' ability to hold this team together and forge a keen sense of brotherhood has prepared this team for playing some do-or-die football in January.

“I'm really proud of our team because each team is… Each year, you have to build a team, and each team, you never know what's going to happen," Ryans said. "You never build year to year off what we did last year. We're not just going to end up in the same spot. You have to go through some things, and you have to grow through some things."

"That's what we've done as a team. We've grown through the early adversity. We understood what it takes for us to win, what our formula is for the 2025 Texans, and we're leaning into that. That's what I'm most proud of, our coaches, our players for staying the course to allow us to be in the position we're in now. Now there's no more talking about it. Now we got to go do it. We want to get in, we got to go earn the right, we got to punch our ticket, we got to go play winning football.”

DeMeco Ryans Helping Texans Climb Back to Relevancy

If we can cast our minds back as far as September, a lesser coach might have panicked and leapt upon a scapegoat from his own coaching ranks. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley was the easiest neck to sacrificially thrust into the noise, but holding firm and staying the course, even had to go through a backup quarterback, Davis Mills, before proving it was the correct strategy to follow.

Now as the Texans approach late December, Ryans and Co. are confident enough in how far they've come, that the late appearance of Los Angeles Chargers superstar quarterback Justin Herbert on the schedule only presents another challenge to be enthusiastically embraced.

“Yeah, that's why the schedules are set up the way they're set up," Ryans said. "They set it up a way to make it really exciting. In December, teams have a lot to play for, especially having the divisional matchups later in the season. It's exciting, and you always… Something's on the line each game."

"That keeps me tuned in, keeps everyone tuned in, but as we play and as we coach, we understand when that ball is kicked off, we got to be on our details. We got to go out, execute as best as we can possibly play and then we got to finish the game.”

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, but is bound to be if and when the Texans punch their playoff ticket, will be how Ryans has always fallen short of his and the team's ultimate goal.

How Ryans ultimately fronts up to the inevitable thorny question is a debate for another day; the more immediate mission is to keep this team tight and focused upon playing collectively, but that’s not been an issue for the three seasons he’s been at the helm thus far.

“My first rule as a team is it's about the team first. It's all about the team and our guys have embraced that," Ryans said. "When you know you have a good team, it's when someone else makes a play and you get just as excited as if you made that play."

"That's for me, as a coach, I get so excited for guys. I can't go make the plays, but to see them make it, I'm pumped up as if I made it. To see our players have that same enthusiasm for each other, that same love for each other, that's what team sports are all about. It's not about one person, it's about the collective, it's about the group and that's what makes our team a special team."

Texans-Chargers Becomes DeMeco Ryans' Next Major Test

Of course, this Saturday will provide another huge test for the Texans and the Chargers matchup does indeed feel almost like a playoff game already; that's because so much is still riding on it for both teams.

“No doubt about it, it is definitely a playoff game," Ryans admitted. "It was a playoff game for us last week. Understanding the importance of us getting that win, it was huge last week. That's where you want to be in December. You want to be playing meaningful games, and that's what this team has earned. Every week from here on out, how can you continue to improve your position?"

"Right now, this is a playoff game versus the [Los Angeles] Chargers. We know they have a lot to play for; we have a lot to play for. How else would you want it? It's an exciting time; it'll be an exciting game. Two really good teams that play the game the right way, a well-coached team."

How far Ryans' team has traveled this far is a fascinating story, and yet somehow it still feels like the tip of the iceberg.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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