Houston Texans Promote Jerry Schuplinski to Quarterbacks Coach

The Houston Texans made it official on Thursday. Jerry Schuplinski is the team’s new quarterbacks coach, and he will be the man responsible for helping C.J. Stroud take the next step in his development.

The move was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who noted that Schuplinski came to Houston after working with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. Now, the Texans have given him the full responsibility of running their QB room.

It is a significant moment, not just for Schuplinski, but for the entire Texans organization.

Who Is Jerry Schuplinski?

Schuplinski is a John Carroll University graduate who has spent years building a reputation as one of the more quietly effective offensive minds in the NFL. His career includes a stint as assistant quarterbacks coach with the New England Patriots, where he worked alongside Tom Brady during the dynasty years. That experience alone carries tremendous weight in NFL coaching circles.

He also spent time coaching quarterbacks with the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants before landing in Houston as a senior offensive assistant. Along the way, he developed a strong working relationship with Stroud, which makes this promotion feel less like a gamble and more like a natural evolution.

Now, with the formal title in hand, Schuplinski steps into one of the most important roles on the offensive staff.

Why This Matters for C.J. Stroud

Stroud’s trajectory is the central question surrounding the Texans heading into 2026. His rookie season was nothing short of remarkable. But his postseason struggles left real questions about what comes next and who can help him answer them.

This is a pivotal season for Stroud. He has been working out in California, and by all accounts, he is locked in and committed to improving. The Texans clearly believe Schuplinski is the right person to guide that process.

The continuity matters here. Stroud already has a comfort level with Schuplinski that takes time to build. There will be no adjustment period, no trust-building from scratch. The two men already know how each other thinks, and that kind of relationship between a quarterback and his position coach can make a real difference over the course of a long season.

A Coaching Staff Built on Continuity and Upward Movement

The Schuplinski promotion did not happen in isolation. The Texans also finalized several other moves to round out their coaching staff, with a clear theme running through most of them: reward what is working and build from within.

Defensive line coach Rod Wright, a native of Alief and a former All-American at the University of Texas, was promoted to defensive run game coordinator while retaining his role coaching the defensive line. Wright coaches one of the most feared pass-rushing duos in football in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, both of whom earned All-Pro recognition this past season.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans has been direct about how much he values Wright’s impact on that group.

“The thing about our guys is that it starts with their coach,” Ryans said. “Coach Rod Wright has done an outstanding job of helping each and every guy in that room improve their craft.”

Wright joined the Texans in 2023 as an assistant defensive line coach and was elevated to head defensive line coach the following year. His promotion to coordinator is the next logical step.

New Faces Join the Staff

Beyond the internal moves, the Texans also added several new faces. Former Houston and New England Patriots center James Ferentz was officially named tight ends coach, replacing Jake Moreland, who was dismissed and has since joined the Arizona Cardinals.

Tiquan Underwood, a former NFL wide receiver who caught passes for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, was hired as an assistant receivers coach. He brings coaching experience from stops with the Patriots, Cowboys, Dolphins, Pittsburgh and Rutgers.

The Texans also added Taylor Embree, Alex Ward, and Cole Weeks as offensive assistants, along with Jay Simpson and Mark Sheridan on the defensive side.

The staff is now complete. The next question is simple: can Schuplinski unlock the next level of C.J. Stroud’s game? For a Texans team that believes it is a legitimate contender, the answer to that question could define their entire season.