January 9, 2023
Houston Texans Terminate Lovie Smith Making Him Second Black Coach Fired After Only One Season
For the second year in a row, the Houston Texans have fired a coach after only one year at the helm.
According to a statement released by The Houston Texans, head coach Lovie Smith has been terminated after the team posted a dismal record of 3-13-1 this past season. After the Texans posted a victory in their season-ending game, the team informed Smith of the decision to let him go.
Cal McNair, the Chair and CEO of the Houston Texans stated, “Nick Caserio and I spoke with Lovie Smith tonight and informed him that we will be moving in a different direction as an organization. I appreciate Coach Smith and his entire family for their contributions over the last two seasons. We are grateful for his leadership and character, and we wish him the best moving forward. While we understand the results have not been what we had hoped for, we are committed to building a program that produces long-term, sustainable success. Our fans and city deserve a team that they can be proud of. I will work alongside Nick Caserio throughout this process and I’m confident we will find the right leader for our football team.”
A statement from Chair and CEO Cal McNair: pic.twitter.com/EXfIbUYOBc
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 9, 2023
According to Houston Public Media, Smith is not only the second straight head coach to be fired after one season, but he is also the second straight Black head coach to be terminated from the team in two years. After posting an almost identical record of 4-13 last season, the Texans got rid of David Culley after the only season he led the team.
The firing of two Black head coaches in two consecutive years didn’t go unnoticed. Former Washington Redskins quarterback, Robert Griffin III, made mention of it on his Twitter account.
The Houston Texans have fired Lovie Smith after 1 year. Using 2 Black Head Coaches to tank and then firing them after 1 year shouldn’t sit right with anyone.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 9, 2023
USA Today reporter, and former track and field athlete, Tyler Dragon, stated the same sentiment.
Neither David Culley or Lovie Smith deserved to be fired. The Texans put two Black coaches in unwinnable situations and didn't even give them an opportunity to succeed.
— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) January 9, 2023
Sports Columnist, Marcus Hayes had something to say as well.
Lovie Smith was clearly a token hire (though very qualified) for a franchise & league panicked due to their institutional racism. He’s 64, has 3 years/$15 million left on his deal & likely won’t coach again.
Love that his last act was screwing the Texans out of the No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/W86hHtZoxR— Marcus Hayes (@inkstainedretch) January 9, 2023
Yahoo Sports reported that Smith was only hired after news broke of former Miami Dolphins Brian Flores filing a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL last year.
The Texans were reportedly set to hire Josh McCown, who had no NFL coaching experience. After Flores filed the lawsuit, the team shifted its attention and went with a Black coach, Smith, instead.