Houston Texans hire Lovie Smith as new head coach, Dennis Allen to get New Orleans Saints job | NFL News

Brian Flores’ lawyers release a statement: “Mr. Flores is happy to hear that the Texans have hired a black head coach, Lovie Smith… it is obvious that the only reason Mr. Flores was not selected was his decision to stand up against racial inequality across the NFL”

Lovie Smith has been named the new head coach of the Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have hired Lovie Smith to be their next head coach, the team announced on Monday.

Smith spent the 2021 season as the Texans’ associate head coach and defensive coordinator under David Culley, who was fired after Houston went 4-13 in his only season charge.

The Texans are Smith’s third NFL head-coaching job of his career. He has an 89-87 regular-season record, including going 81-63 with the Chicago Bears from 2004 to 2012. Smith was 8-24 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014-15.

Smith took the Bears from 5-11 in 2004 to 11-5 a year later, earning Coach of the Year honors. He also led Chicago to the Super Bowl, going 13-3 in the 2006 season, but they lost to the Indianapolis Colts.

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Jeff Reinebold believes change is needed at ownership level in the NFL to create opportunities for minority coaches. This comes after former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL for alleged ‘racist hiring policies’.

“[Smith] is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL and an established leader,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said in a statement released by the team. “A proven winner, Lovie has shown the ability to develop players both on and off the field for years.”

Smith himself said of his hiring: “I’m humbled to be the next head coach of the Houston Texans and incredibly excited to continue to work with Nick.

“I understand the responsibility I have to this organization and this city to develop a championship-level program. I’m ready to get to work and build it together.”

The Texans chose Smith over finalists Josh McCown and Brian Flores. Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who also twice interviewed for the job, was informed over the weekend that he would not be hired.

Flores’ lawyers say Flores overlooked due to lawsuit

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Flores last week filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, the Dolphins, New York Giants and Denver Broncos.

Among other accusations, Flores alleges that Miami owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per loss in 2019 so the team could improve its draft position. Ross denies the charge.

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Profootballtalk’s Mike Florio discusses the potential impact of former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ decision to file a class action lawsuit against the NFL in which he alleges racial discrimination in its hiring practices.

Hours after news broke Monday that Smith was the Texans’ choice as head coach, Flores’ attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and John Elefterakis put out a statement on Twitter, saying Houston avoided hiring Flores because of the lawsuit.

“Mr. Flores is happy to hear that the Texans have hired a black head coach, Lovie Smith, as Mr. Flores’ goal in bringing his case is to provide real opportunities for black and minority candidates to be considered for coaching and executive positions within the NFL,” the statement read.

“However, we would be remiss not to mention that Mr. Flores was one of three finalists for the Texans’ head coach position and, after a great interview and mutual interest, it is obvious that the only reason Mr. Flores was not selected was his decision to stand up against racial inequality across the NFL.”

Smith joins the Miami Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel, New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and Washington Commanders’ Ron Rivera as the league’s only minority head coaches.

Saints to promote Dennis Allen as head coach

Of the nine NFL teams with coaching vacancies following the 2021 regular season, Houston was among the final ones to make a hire. The New Orleans Saints are the last, and have reportedly agreed to promote their defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday.

New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is set to become the team’s new head coach

Allen will replace his long-time boss, Sean Payton, who stepped away from football two weeks ago after coaching the team since 2006, and winning a Super Bowl with them in 2009.

This will be Allen’s second stint as a head coach after he went 8-28 with the Raiders from 2012 to 2014. He was a member of Payton’s original coaching staff with the Saints from 2006, serving as their secondary coach during their Super Bowl run, and then returned as defensive coordinator in 2015.

Allen also replaced Payton for one game in 2021 when he was sidelined by Covid, and the Saints won that game 9-0 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was the first time Tom Brady had been shut out since 2006.

New Orleans also interviewed Flores, new Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and their own special teams coordinator, Darren Rizzi, for the job.