Texans’ Jalen Pitre on DeMeco Ryans: ‘He’s a Real Coach’
Perhaps more than any team, the Houston Texans needed a culture change this offseason. It appears that new coach DeMeco Ryans has brought that to a team that's won just 11 games over the last three seasons.
While the roster that Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio are constructing is still very much a work in progress, safety Jalen Pitre had five interceptions in his rookie season and appears to be a building block for the Texans. And the 24-year-old seems to be all in on his new coach.
"It's been fun. He’s a real coach, a guy that really loves football," Pitre said of Ryans to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. "His energy is contagious. In a meeting room, on the field, you can see why he’s been successful on the field and off the field. I’m excited to be able to play for him."
Some will take Pitre's quote about Ryans as a shot at Lovie Smith, who coached the Texans during the second-round pick's rookie season. But without knowing Pitre's exact intent, his words seem more aimed at praising Ryans, rather than dissing his predecessor.
Ryans was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers for the last two seasons, but is less than a decade removed from his 10-year NFL career as an inside linebacker, with the first six of those seasons coming in Houston. It's not surprising that the 38-year-old is still able to connect with current players. Heck, veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman said earlier this summer that he feels like part of Ryans still wants to be a player.
With an offense thin on skill-position talent around rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans probably aren't ready to compete for a playoff spot in 2023. But the defense that Ryans and coordinator Matt Burke will lead has some intriguing young pieces in Pitre, cornerback Derek Stingley and pass rusher, Will Anderson. With some stability at the coach, it feels like the Texans are finally headed in the right direction for the first time in a long time.
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