Culley lasts one season in Houston
David Culley spent 43 years as a college and NFL assistant before finally getting his first head coaching job with the Houston Texans.
He lasted just one season before being fired Thursday, a move that leaves the NFL with one Black head coach: Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. Miami’s Brian Flores was fired this week.
A person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press the Texans fired Culley on Thursday.
Culley, 66, was hired last January to replace Bill O’Brien after working as an NFL assistant since 1994. He took over a team that went 4-12 in the 2020 season with Deshaun Watson at quarterback.
Watson requested a trade around the time Culley was hired, and before 22 women filed lawsuits against the QB alleging sexual harassment or assault. Those issues kept Watson sidelined all season and precipitated a rebuild in Houston that left Culley at the helm of a depleted team that finished 4-13.
Super Bowl stays: The NFL has no plans to move the Super Bowl to Arlington, Texas, or anywhere else despite the recent rise in COVID-19 cases and the accompanying health precautions in California, several officials confirmed at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (Los Angeles County).
“All of our plans for Super Bowl week remain fully in place for a month from today,” said Katie Keenan, the NFL’s senior director of event operations.
A media fuss was raised earlier this month when the NFL explored the feasibility of using the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium as a backup site for the Super Bowl.
The NFL immediately confirmed that it finds backup sites for the Super Bowl every year, and it had no serious concerns about its ability to hold the game in Inglewood.
Woman GM candidate: Minnesota has targeted a diverse set of candidates for their general manager vacancy, including one woman: Eagles vice president of football operations Catherine Raiche.
Two people with knowledge of the process confirmed that the Vikings have requested an interview with Raiche. The people spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team was not publicizing the requests.
Raiche is in her third season with the Eagles. She was hired in 2019 as a coordinator of football operations and player personnel. Prior to that, she worked five years in the Canadian Football League in the front offices of both the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes.