Crennel ‘perfect for a situation like this’
The firing of Bill O’Brien as coach and general manager doesn’t leave the winless Texans in inexperienced hands.
Interim coach Romeo Crennel, installed by Texans chairman and chief executiveofficer Cal McNairas O’Brien’s replacement for the remainder of the season, has been imparting football wisdom for five decades.
A longtime defensive guru, Crennel, aka RAC (for Romeo Anthony Crennel), has two previous stints as a head coach with the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. Crennel has earned five Super Bowl rings, two with the New York Giants and three with the New England Patriots. He has a 28-55 overall record as a head coach, including three games as an interim coach, with one winning season.
When Crennel, 73, coaches the Texans on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium, he’ll become the oldest head coach in NFL history. Chicago Bears legend George Halas, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, set the existing standard in 1967 when he was 72 years and 318 days old, according to NFL Research.
The Texans are hoping Crennel will inject leadership and a boost in morale for a sputtering team in need of a victory and a new direction. Despite the presence of Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson, the team isn’t clicking right now.
“RAC is perfect for a situation like this because he’s a leader of men,” said former Texans guard Jeff Allen, who played for Crennel when he was the Chiefs’ coach. “I loved Romeo. I think he’s a great leader. I was a rookie, and I was just out there swimming, trying to figure things out in the deep end. My experience with him was great as a head coach.
“Even though we didn’t win very much, he did a good job of keeping the team together. Therewere a lot of things going on. He definitely is going to foster a good environment with the Texans.”
Crennel is known for his steady style of leadership. Whena few quiet words will suffice, that’s what he uses.
Crennel’s low-key style is a contrast to O’Brien, who tended to be loud, emotional and temperamental.
“I would say he’s probably a little bit more of like a Tony Dungy type,” said former Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston, who played for Crennel in Kansas City in 2012. “He’s pretty calm. He’s very matter of fact. ‘Guys, this is what we didn’t do well. This is what we did well. This is where we’ve got to improve.’
“I don’t think he’s going to go in there and give any rah-rah speeches. It’s very black-and-white with him. This is how we’re going to proceed, and this is what we’re not going to do.
“He’s not a loud guy. He’s not a yeller or a screamer. He doesn’t get in anybody’s face, but I think he kind of plainly sets forward the objectives and what he thinks needs to be done to win games. I’m sure they know that already, especially the defensive guys.”
A former defensive coordinator with the Texans, Chiefs, Browns and Patriots, Crennel has been coaching since 1970, when he became the defensive line coach at Western Kentucky, his alma mater.
“Ihave a veryhigh regard for him,” retired NFL coach and general manager Bill Parcells said of Crennel in a statement. “He’s run the whole gamut, from assistant special teams coach to defensive line to defensive coordinator to head coach.
“He’s a very even-keeled guy, but he does have a boilingpoint. I’ve seen it several times, and it was very effective. He’s a very smart guy who knows the techniques to teach.”
Crennel began this season as associate head coach advising first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
“I love RAC,” defensive end J. J. Watt said. “I’ve always said it: I’ve been very fortunate to have a guy like Wade Phillips early in my career and a guy like Romeo Crennel here these last few years.
“Those two guys are just incredible people, incredible minds, incredible experiences, and I’ve been very fortunate to be around them, to learn from them and to grow with them.”