Lovie Smith appears to be headed back to a head coach's seat in the NFL.
The Houston Texans are moving toward naming Smith as the team's new head coach, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Monday. A deal is not yet done, but the two sides are moving in that direction.
Smith's hiring would essentially be a promotion after he spent the 2021 season working as associate head coach and defensive coordinator under the since-fired David Culley in Houston. It would also be the culmination of what has been a rather lengthy process that has included bringing in candidates such as Josh McCown for not one, but two interviews as well as considering former Dolphins coach Brian Flores before pivoting to interviewing Smith over the weekend.
The hiring of Smith would be highly intriguing for a number of reasons. First, it's Smith's third go-around as an NFL head coach after spending nine seasons in Chicago and two in Tampa, and his first as the head man since spending 2016-2020 as the University of Illinois head coach. Secondly, Smith's hiring means the elevation of a man in charge of a defense that finished 31st in yards allowed per game in 2021, but also showed some juice late in the season, forcing three turnovers in an upset win over the Chargers.
Smith certainly has the experience necessary to lead the Texans on a significant turnaround. Smith took the Bears from 5-11 in 2004 to 11-5 in 2005, earning Coach of the Year honors. He led Chicago to the Super Bowl a year later, going 13-3 in the regular season and riding its defense to a conference title before falling to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI. He didn't enjoy similar success in Tampa, going 8-24 in two seasons with the Buccaneers.
Defense is Smith's hallmark, but there remains a question of quarterback in Houston. Davis Mills showed enough promise to give him the reins in 2022, however Houston will still need to resolve the situation regarding Deshaun Watson. The Texans will also need to add a significant amount of talent to its roster, which was among the least talented in the NFL last season.
That falls on the shoulders of general manager Nick Caserio, but having Smith in place should help with attracting potential free agents. From there, the journey will continue for Smith and the Texans.
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