HOUSTON — Last week, Houston Texans fans got quite the surprise when news broke that head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien was fired from the organization.
Many fans were calling for O'Brien's firing amid the team's 0-4 this season, but when it happened, it left the big question of who his replacement will be. For now, it'll be a familiar face.
The Texans wasted no time naming associate head coach and former defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel as the interim head coach for the team.
5 things to know about Romeo Crennel
- Romeo Crennel is 73 years old and when he takes the field as interim head coach for the Texas-Jaguars on Oct. 11, he will be breaking the record as the oldest head coach in NFL history. The current record was held by retired Chicago Bears head coach George Halas, who was 73 years old when he coached the final game of his career in December 1967.
- Crennel began his NFL coaching career in 1981 with a 12-year stint with the New York Giants in which he served as defensive line coach, special teams coach and special teams/defensive assistance coach. During his tenure with the Giants, the team qualified for the playoffs six times, claiming wins in Super Bowls XXI and XXV. In addition to the Giants, Crennel has also coached with the Kansas City Chiefs (2010-2012), Cleveland Browns 2005-2008), New England Patriots (2001-2004) and three seasons as the defensive line coach with the New York Jets (1997-1999).
- Crennel has been with the Houston Texans since 2014. During his time in Houston, he has served two seasons as assistant head coach/defensive coordinator (2018-19), one as assistant head coach/defense (2017) and three as defensive coordinator (2014-16). Crennel's leadership has led the Texans to back-to-back AFC South Division championships the last two seasons and made Houston one of three teams to win its division four-or-more times since 2015 (Kansas City and New England).
- Crennel has been coaching in the NFL for 38 years. Overall, he has been a football coach for 49 years -- 11 of those spent as a college football coach for Western Kentucky (his alma mater), Texas Tech, Mississippi and Georgia Tech.
- Crennel and his wife Rosemary have three daughters, Lisa Tulley, Tiffany Strokes and Kristine Cullinane. He has eight grandchildren.
The Texans face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Houston on Sunday, Oct. 11 at noon. This will be Crennel's first game as interim head coach.
A limited amount of fans are allowed to attend this game. Cardboard cutouts of pediatric patients from Texans Children's Hospital will be featured in the Methodist Hospital Fan Zone for Sunday's game.