While the Houston Texans finished the 2024 NFL regular season with a 10-7 record, they reached the 30-point mark only twice. Worst yet, they lost five of their last nine games and had a two-point game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Injuries to key players could be a determining factor for their offensive struggles. Whatever the reason, it led to Bobby Slowik’s firing. However, it didn’t take long for Houston to hire his replacement, naming Nick Caley as their new offensive coordinator six days before Super Bowl LIX.
ESPN writer Ben Solak puts Caley in high regard by mentioning him in the ten names to know section of his 100 Days to the 2025 NFL season article last May 27. Working with a stacked offense, Solak only expects Caley to clean their execution to be great.
Solak wrote, “No offense was held back more by coaching errors last season than Houston’s unit. If Caley is even league average as a Year 1 play caller, expect the Texans to finally deliver on their 2024 preseason hype.”
There’s understandable hype around an offensive unit featuring C.J. Stroud, Joe Mixon, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs. Unfortunately, the Texans’ Super Bowl aspirations went up in smoke. This time, Houston hopes the lessons Caley learned from his previous NFL coaching stops will help them progress into a serious contender.
Caley Honed by Two Great Coaching Minds
After spending time on the coaching staff of seven NCAA programs, Caley became an offensive assistant with the New England Patriots. He stayed with the team for eight seasons and eventually became the tight ends and fullbacks’ coach.
Working on Bill Belichick’s staff allowed him to contribute to two Super Bowl-winning teams. Coincidentally, Caley and the Patriots defeated his future boss, Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams, in Super Bowl 53. The Rams hired him to be their tight ends coach five years after that game.
Before getting hired by the Texans, Caley added pass game coordinator to his responsibilities with the Rams. Los Angeles’ NFC team made the playoffs in the two seasons he was there.
Coming from the coaching trees of Belichick and McVay has the Texans expecting great results from Nick Caley. In his first shot at running an entire offense, he will benefit from having a retooled unit with Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Luke Lachey, and Christian Kirk.
Former Texans Player is Thrilled for What Caley Can Bring to the Team
In his YouTube channel, former Texans defensive tackle Seth Payne spoke highly of the 42-year-old OC. Reacting to Caley’s recent press conference statement that toughness among his offensive linemen is non-negotiable, Payne said, “I want guys that would fight a 300-pound offensive lineman and wouldn’t think twice about it. … I think Nick Caley would gouge eyeballs, he’d bite kneecaps.”
Payne hopes that Caley’s message of physicality and toughness will resonate with an offensive line that has more questions than answers. He added, “As long as this is what he’s preaching, I’m taking it all in. I am an enthusiastic member of the congregation.”
That tenacity and unwillingness to fold will help the Texans offense succeed against what NFL analyst Warren Sharp deemed as the eighth-toughest schedule this season.
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