Plenty of questions to the head coach were answered by the organization's statement according to him

O'Brien leans on McNair's statement for Gaine answers

O'Brien leans on McNair's statement for Gaine answers
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Bill O'Brien faced the media for the first time since the organization fired general manager Brian Gaine. While O'Brien appreciated the questions, he leaned primarily on the statement by Cal McNair about the team.


The statement covered that

This is the statement Bill O'Brien referenced when he was asked a multitude of questions. He declined to explain what his conversation with McNair covered but that McNair made his vision and expectations for the organization clear.

He also declined to discuss the reported interviews the Texans have already had and his role in the future interviews of this team.

The list of questions O'Brien used the statement as an answer

Here is a list of the questions O'Brien was asked that he used the statement from Cal McNair as his answer.

There was a report your relationship with Brian Gaine eroded is that true?

Did you believe Brian Gaine needed to be fired to move this organization forward?

What changed in your relationship with Brian Gaine when you were working with him?

Were you worried about losing your job based on this evaluation?

The Texans won 11 games, won the division, and hosted a playoff game. Why do you think there is this much change after that?

Has he talked with Nick Caserio?

Bill O'Brien was asked if he had contact with Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio.

"I would say that the answer to that is no. Relative to contact about anything having to do with the Houston Texans, no."

O'Brien on Gaine

O'Brien's comments directly on Brian Gaine were short and sweet and to the point.

"Man of high character. Great family man and good football person."

Impact on Clowney

When asked if the firing of Gaine and the eventual hire of a new general manager would affect Jadeveon Clowney O'Brien said "no" and pointed to Clowney's franchise tag designation and confirmed Clowney was not present for the mandatory workout on Tuesday.

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Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

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