Texans Assistant Romeo Crennel Announces Retirement After 50 Years in Coaching

Romeo Crennel retired on Monday after 50 years of coaching and 39 years in the NFL, the Texans announced.

“Football has been my entire life and it’s been a dream come true to coach for 50 years,” Crennel said. “There are so many friends to thank who have helped me and supported me throughout my career. I especially want to thank the fans and owners of the New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans for allowing me to contribute to the game I have loved so much for so long. I’ll miss everything about coaching and teaching, but the thing I’ll miss the most is being around the guys everyday.”

Texans chair and CEO Cal McNair released a statement on the retirement of Crennel.

“My family and the entire Houston Texans organization would like to congratulate Romeo Crennel on his historic coaching career. After 50 seasons, Romeo retires as one of the most respected figures in NFL history. His incredible resume and contributions to the game of football will be difficult to duplicate. 

“Romeo poured everything he had into his players and led his teams with hard work, diligence and integrity. He has impacted and influenced so many players, coaches and staff members over the last five decades and we’re honored he spent the last eight seasons with us. Our organization is better because of Romeo Crennel in so many ways. He will always be a Texan and we wish him, his wife Rosemary and his family nothing but the best in all that retirement brings,” McNair said.

Crennel is considered to be one of the most-decorated assistant coaches in league history. He was a part of 17 playoff appearances and won five of the six Super Bowls his teams appeared in, including Super Bowls XXI and XXV with the Giants, and Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX with the Patriots.

Crennel spent the last eight seasons of his career in varying roles with the Texans. He was the franchise’s defensive coordinator from 2014-’16, assistant head coach from 2017-’19, associate head coach and interim head coach in ’20 and senior advisor for football performance in ’21.

After being promoted to interim coach in ’20, Crennel became the oldest person in the NFL history to serve as a head coach in a game at 73 years old. Crennel was awarded with the 2020 Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach by the Pro Football Writers of America.