Some Houston sports fans ought to be able to breathe a sigh of relief: Jack Easterby will not be the Texans’ new general manager.
So says team president Jamey Rootes, who was on a Zoom call with season ticket holders Wednesday to promote his new book, “The Winning Game Plan: A Prove Leadership Playbook for Continued Business Success”.
A season ticket holder asked a pointed question immediately during the Q-&-A session to ask for Rootes’ comments on New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick stating Easterby was not a personnel guy.
“You’re right,” Rootes said via the Houston Chronicle. “Jack would be the first person to tell you he’s not a personnel guy. Jack will not be the general manager of the Houston Texans. Jack realizes we need personnel expertise to put together the best football team. He doesn’t have enough time in the day. He’s working on sports science, working on nutrition. Spread the word. Jack has no intentions of being the general manager.”
While NFL fans prefer to have general managers who were once personnel guys, it isn’t a prerequisite to success. Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm had a background in television, and Ernie Accorsi, who later became the general manager for the Baltimore Colts (1982-83), Cleveland Browns (1985-92), and New York Giants (1998-2006), got his start in the NFL as the public relations director of the Colts from 1970-74.
Given the state of Houston’s NFL team, with the dearth of premium draft picks, dwindling salary cap space, and holes to be filled, along with a coaching vacancy, the Texans could use more than a character coach or any other unconventional general manager in 2021. The Texans have lacked stability since the firing of Brian Gaine as general manager in June 2019 and need to find a way to get back to having a steadiness in the front office.
