HISTORY LESSON: A FRANCHISE’S UPS AND DOWNS
March 22: The Texans sign eighttime All-Pro safety Ed Reed.
Sept. 29: The 2-1 Texans are poised to beat Super Bowl contender Seattle only to see a
Schaub pass get intercepted and returned for the tying touchdown in the dying minutes. They lose in overtime, sending the team into a tailspin with 14 consecutive losses to end the season.
Nov. 3: Kubiak suffers a “ministroke,” collapsing to the turf during halftime of a nationally televised home loss to Indianapolis. He misses one game as a result.
Nov. 12: Reed is released two days after saying the Texans were outplayed and outcoached in a loss at Arizona.
Dec. 6: After the Texans’ 11th straight loss, Kubiak is fired and replaced by defensive coordinator Phillips on an interim basis for the final three games.
2014
Jan. 3: After the Texans go 2-14, the Texans hire Penn State coach Bill O’Brien, a former Patriots offensive coordinator, as their new coach.
May 8: With the first pick in the NFL draft, the Texans select Clemson defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Dec. 28: The Texans finish O’Brien’s first season 9-7, with seven more wins than in 2013.
2015
May 27: The Texans agree to appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series documenting training camp. Aug. 11: The premiere of “Hard Knocks” shows a bluntly profane
O’Brien, who says of the Texans’ history, “Let’s be honest with each other. This place has no respect in the league, just so you guys are all aware of that.” O’Brien later says his mother expressed disapproval with all his profanityon the show.
2016
Jan. 9: After winning the AFC South with a 9-7 record, the Texans are embarrassed 30-0 by the Chiefs at home in the AFC wildcard round.
March 9: After two seasons of musical QBs, the Texans agree to a four-year, $72 million contract with free agent Brock Osweiler, formerly of the Broncos, to ostensibly give them a franchise QB. The deal includes $37 million guaranteed.
2017
Jan. 14: The Texans’ season ends with a 34-16 divisional-round loss at New England as Osweiler, restored to the starting job after being benched in Week 15, throws three interceptions.
March 9: A year after signing him, the Texans trade Osweiler and a second-round pick to the Browns to take the QB’s bloated salary off their hands.
April 27: Texans GM Rick Smith trades up to draft national championship-winning QB Deshaun Watson from Clemson.
Sept. 10: For the second time in three seasons, O’Brien benches his starting QB during the season opener, with Tom Savage pulled for Watson at halftime of a home loss to the Jaguars.
Sept. 13: Linebacker Brian Cushing is suspended for the second time for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, this time getting a 10-game ban.
Oct. 30: The Texans trade standout left tackle Duane Brown to the Seahawks after a lengthy contract dispute.
Nov. 2: Watson’s promising rookie season ends with a torn ACL, and the Texans crater to a 4-12 season. Dec. 31: After the season ends, Smith announces he’s taking a leave of absence to care for his wife, Tiffany, who’s battling breast cancer.
2018
Jan. 13: Despite coming off a 4-12 season, O’Brien gets a four-year contract extension. The Texans also hire O’Brien ally Brian Gaine as general manager to replace Smith. Nov. 23: Franchise founder Bob McNair dies at age 81.
Dec. 23: The Texans clinch a playoff spot and win the AFC South, becoming the sixth NFL team to make the playoffs after starting 0-3. But they’re one and done in the playoffs, getting blown out at home to the division rival Colts.
2019
April 2: The Texans hire former Chiefs chaplain and Patriots character coach Jack Easterby as executive vice president of team development. He then begins a swift rise through the organization.
June 7: In a stunning move, the Texans fire Gaine after just 17 months as GM. After a failed attempt to hire Patriots executive Nick Caserio, O’Brien is put in charge of personnel.
Aug. 31: The Texans make a pair of bombshell trades, sending star linebacker Jadeveon Clowney to the Seahawks after a contract impasse for two backup linebackers and a third-round draft pick. O’Brien then trades two first-round picks and a second-round pick to the Dolphins for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Kenny Stills.
2020
Jan. 12: In the most infamous loss in franchise history, the Texans lose 51-31 at Kansas City in the divisional round after leading 24-0 during the second quarter.
Jan. 28: Despite the playoff disaster, O’Brien is officially given the general manager title, with Easterby named executive vice president of football operations.
March 16: O’Brien trades All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for the widely panned return of running back David Johnson and a second-round pick.
April 24: The Texans agree to a three-year, $66 million extension with Tunsil, the biggest deal for an offensive lineman in NFL history. Sept. 5: Less than a week before the season opener, the Texans agree to a four-year, $156 million extension with Watson, making him the NFL’s second highest-paid QB behind the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes.
Oct. 5: A day after the Texans fall to 0-4, O’Brien is fired as coach and GM.
Dec. 13: After a Texans loss in Chicago, Watson says he is being consulted by chairman/CEO Cal McNair about the team’s coaching search, referring to “a lot of respect between me and Mr. McNair.”
2021
Jan. 4: The day after the Texans’ season ends with a 4-12 record, Watson calls for offensive coordinator Tim Kelly to be retained and also says the organization needs “a whole culture shift.”
Jan. 5: After failing on two previous occasions, the Texans hire Nick Caserio as general manager Watson finds out while on vacation and cryptically tweets “some things never change.”
Jan. 27: The Texans reach a deal with 65-year-old Baltimore receivers coach David Culley, who’s never been a coordinator in the NFL, to be their new head coach.
Jan. 28: Watson reportedly asks the Texans to trade him and is dug in on not wanting to play for the franchise again.
March 17: Two female massage therapists file lawsuits accusing Watson of sexual abuse. The number of plaintiffs accusing Watson of sexual assault or harassment eventually grows to 22, with 10 criminal complaints filed with Houston police.
April 29: The Texans are without a first-round selection in the NFL draft as the first-rounder they traded to Miami in the Tunsil deal ends up being the No. 3 overall pick.
July 25: In a surprise move, Watson reports to Texans training camp to avoid daily fines of $50,000. During camp, he doesn’t participate in team drills, lines up as a scout-team safety and is listed as the fourth-string QB on the unofficial depth chart.