Texans Fire QB Coach After NFL Playoff Exit

Johnson played a pivotal role in the development of young quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is the Texans' current starter. Stroud led the Texans to a division title and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2023. Stroud hasn't quite replicated the performance of his rookie season. His yardage and touchdown passing totals were down, and his interceptions were up in 2024 and 2025. Stroud's performance in the playoff game against the Patriots may have sealed Johnson's fate. He finished 20-of-47 passing with one touchdown and four interceptions, all in the first half.

Johnson has given the 24-year-old a strong base to build upon, and it will be interesting to see how Stroud develops under the tutelage of Schuplinski.

Johnson started his NFL coaching career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 under head coach Kyle Shanahan. He was hired under the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. He then joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2019 and was promoted to offensive quality control coach in 2020 when Frank Reich was the head coach there.

Johnson followed that with a one-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings for a year after Kevin O'Connell hired him as an assistant quarterbacks coach. After gaining significant experience under different head coaches, Johnson landed in Houston and departs having left a positive impression. Johnson has been a finalist for multiple offensive coordinator roles in the last three cycles, having interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Vikings, New Orleans Saints and Patriots.

As an NFL player, Johnson was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011, and went on to be a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, though he never took a snap in a regular-season game.