Texans DeMeco Ryans Snubbed AP NFL Coach Of The Year

Houston Texans first-year coach DeMeco Ryans fell short by one point to Clevleand Browns' Kevin Stefanski for the NFL's AP Coach of the Year.

LAS VEGAS.-- DeMeco Ryans won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006 after serving as the foundation for a Houston Texans franchise on the rise. 

As a rookie head coach, history didn't repeat itself.

Ryans fell short to Cleveland Browns' Kevin Stefanski for the Associated Press 2023 NFL Coach of the Year Thursday night here in Las Vegas at the 13th annual NFL Honors ceremony. 

Stefanski, who guided Cleveland back to the postseason without former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, bested Ryans, Detriot Lions' Dan Campbell, Baltimore Ravens' John Harbaugh, and San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Shanahan for the title.

The verdict was close. Ryans and Stefanski finished tied with 165 total votes apiece. Stefanski, who won the award in 2019 after ending Cleveland's 18-year postseason drought, finished with 21 first-place votes compared to Ryans' 20. 

Even after guiding Houston to a seven-win turnaround and its first playoff berth since 2019, Ryans was left on the outside looking in. That doesn't change the remarkable efforts that led to a season no one saw coming.  

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans walks off the field following a 45–14 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC wild-card round  / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

When Ryans arrived in Houston for his second stint with the franchise, the Texans were at an all-time low. Two years removed from the Bill O'Brien era, Houston was starting fresh for a third time following back-to-back one-and-done seasons from David Culley and Lovie Smith. 

Ryans immediately went to work and kept his word to the fan base and player. He demanded precision in practice. He expected consistency in the film room; from everyone, regardless of age or experience. 

As a defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, Ryans' units were feared. In time, that same happened to Houston. Quarterback C.J. Stroud, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year, became the fifth rookie passer to throw for 4000-plus yards in their first season. 

Defensively, fellow rookie Will Anderson Jr. tied the franchise rookie record in sacks with seven quarterback takedowns. The Texans' run defense, which ranked last in both yards per attempt and yards per contact, ranked sixth a season later under Ryans' watch. 

Houston won four games in division play to advance to the postseason. The Texans bested the Cleveland Browns 45-14 in the wild-card round behind Stroud's record-setting performance. They kept things close in the first half against the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round but struggled to find the spark late. 

Few would complain after seeing the progress with Ryans in charge after one offseason. 

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In addition to Stroud and Anderson's accolades, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik was a finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year honors, though the award ultimately went to Browns' defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Ryans won the Assistant Coach of the Year after taking over for another former Assistant Coach of the Year Robert Saleh. 

The Texans finished with an 11-8 record under Ryans in Year 1. Houston will select No. 23 overall at the 2024 NFL Draft in April.