Texans Coaching Candidate Staying with Super Bowl Team

All signs are pointing toward DeMeco Ryans becoming the Houston Texans' next head coach.

Shortly after the Philadelphia Eagles eliminated the San Francisco 49ers in a 31-7 victory during the NFC championship game on Sunday, it appears that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon took his name out of the running in Houston. 

"Philadelphia is keeping me whether good, bad or indifferent — I'm staying here," Gannon told Fox 29 Philadelphia during the Eagles' championship celebration at Lincoln Financial Field. 

Gannon was a finalist to take the helm as the Texans' next head coach last year, and he was the favorite again. Following another season as the Eagles defensive coordinator, Gannon had an even stronger candidacy in 2023.

He orchestrated a defense that held their opponents to an average of 301.5 yards and 20.2 points during the 2022 campaign.

Gannon was the first of eight candidates the Texans interviewed following Lovie Smith's firing on Jan. 8.  

After losing to the Eagles, the Texans are expected to hire Ryans as their sixth coach in franchise history, assuming all goes well in their next interview. The two parties will meet within the coming days. And a source told Texans Daily that the announcement of Ryans' hiring "could come soon."