The turmoil within the Houston Texans organization now includes one of the biggest players in the franchise’s history.
After reports from last week about Deshaun Watson’s unhappiness with the Texans and the process that led to the hiring of new general manager Nick Caserio, Andre Johnson publicly allied himself with the franchise’s quarterback and shot former executive Jack not so subtly Easterby.
“If I go @deshaunwatson, I will stand my ground,” Johnson wrote on Twitter. “The Texans organization has been known to waste the careers of players. Since Jack Easterby entered the building, nothing good has happened to / for the organization and, for some reason, someone can’t see what’s going on. Pathetic !!!”
The Texans announced last month that Johnson, the team’s main recipient at all times, would serve as a consultant in the search for a new GM and head coach. Easterby was not announced as part of the advisory group. Owner Cal McNair said in November that Easterby – then the interim GM – would not get the full-time job and a decision on his future would be made after hiring the new general manager.
Caserio and Easterby have a history that goes back to the time when the two worked together on the New England Patriots.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported last week that Watson was “extremely unhappy” with the organization regarding his lack of involvement in hiring Caserio, after McNair previously informed Watson that he would have a role in looking for a GM and head coach and would be able to give an answer. Rapoport noted that Watson’s problem was not related to Caserio’s actual hiring.
Rapoport reported at the time that Watson had not recently spoken to the Texans, although the organization had tried to contact him.
McNair said last Friday that Watson and veteran JJ Watt are “valuable members of our team” and that he expects to speak with Watson when he returns from vacation.
Caserio confessed his admiration for Watson, saying that “he is our defender”.
Rapoport reported on Tuesday that the Texans asked to interview the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, for the vacant position of coach. Due to league rules, Bieniemy will not be able to interview Texans before the Chiefs’ season ends.