Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans lost the NFL Coach of the Year award by one first-place vote at NFL Honors this week to Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns. Both men had claims to the award, but ultimately voters picked a coach who dealt with a lot of injury adversity – especially at quarterback – instead of a coach who turned around a flailing franchise in one season.
Regardless of why, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud thought Ryans should have won the award and said his coach was robbed when asked by FanDuel TV’s Kay Adams.
“Yes, he did,” Stroud said. “Everybody says you have a below-average roster, a rookie quarterback, a rookie offensive coordinator, a rookie head coach and you beat the odds and you go the playoffs, you win a playoff game against the guy that won Coach of the Year … I think that’s Coach of the Year worthy.”
.@CJStroudMVP thinks Texans HC DeMeco Ryans was robbed of being NFL Coach of the Year@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/1LNYJoisaI
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 9, 2024
Another thing to consider: Ryans coached the two NFL rookies of the year in Stroud defensive end Will Anderson Jr. Both became marquee players in their first season as Stroud also made the Pro Bowl in his first season.
Stroud added that Ryans understands how to coach players because he was once one after Ryans played 10 years in the NFL for the Texans and then Philadelphia Eagles.
“He’s been in our shoes before and he’s not that type of guy who’s going be a negative coach,” Stroud said. “He’s a positive person but he’s going to hold everybody accountable and set a standard and everybody’s got to stick to that standard. … He’s been amazing to my development.”
Ryans’ loss doesn’t preclude him from winning Coach of the Year in the future, but the standard of excellence was raised to a new level after the Texans won the AFC South and a wild card game. He’ll need to take the team further if he wants another crack at the award, and Stroud is already thinking Super Bowl.
