The Houston Texans have interviewed a surprising candidate for their head coach vacancy.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Texans interviewed longtime NFL quarterback Josh McCown for their head coach position. The team also sat down with a more conventional candidate in veteran coach Jim Caldwell.
With all eyes on the #Texans’ head coaching search, the team conducted interviews today with former NFL head coach Jim Caldwell – and longtime NFL QB Josh McCown, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
The team continues to do due diligence on multiple candidates. No hire imminent.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 22, 2021
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Texans are serious about McCown as a candidate, but would want to put one former head coach on staff if they hired him.
The #Texans are exploring the idea of Josh McCown as head coach but would surround him with at least one former head coach on the staff. Again, not as crazy as it might seem to go from player to head coach. And if anybody can do it, McCown can.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 22, 2021
McCown certainly hasn’t been on anyone’s radar as a serious head coaching candidate. The veteran quarterback has made clear that this is the route he wants to take, but there wasn’t really any indication that he was already seeking out jobs, or that anyone was interested in speaking to him.
That said, McCown spent time with the Texans in 2020 after being signed off the Eagles’ practice squad in November. That means the team got a first-hand look at the 41-year-old and how he interacts with teammates. Clearly they came away impressed enough with what they saw to at least want to talk with McCown.
That said, there wouldn’t be much precedent for a hire like this. Quarterbacks retiring to immediately go into broadcasting is one thing, but immediately jumping in as a head coach would be something else entirely.
One has to wonder how Houston’s disgruntled quarterback would feel about an out-of-the-box hire like this one.
