Texans' QB coach Jerrod Johnson, credited for C.J. Stroud's rise, eyes Miami's offensive coordinator role, potentially impacting Houston's quarterback development.
The Houston Texans have been one of the best overall teams in the NFL over the last three seasons, and that coincides with when DeMeco Ryans was hired as the head coach. Ryans was hired during the 2023 offseason, and he brought some new assistant coaches with him. That includes Jerrod Johnson who has served as the franchise's quarterback coach over the last three years.
Johnson was praised for his work with C.J. Stroud during his rookie season in 2023, but the quarterback has regressed slightly in the two years since then. Despite Stroud's regression, Johnson has been a hot name in the various hiring cycles over the last two offseasons. His name has popped up again as a potential offensive coordinator, and he has been requested to interview with the Miami Dolphins.
Johnson has been coaching in the NFL since the 2017 season. He began with the San Francisco 49ers and then spent three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Following time with the Colts, he joined Kevin O'Connell's staff with the Minnesota Vikings as the assistant quarterbacks coach. That is where he caught Ryans' attention, and he has been with Houston ever since.
Johnson deserves a lot of credit for what he has done with the Texans. The offense has not always been pretty, but he did a great job bringing Stroud into the NFL and allowing him to find success immediately. He also played a major role in helping Stroud deal with the offense changing between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. This has caught the attention of other franchises, and it is a big reason the Dolphins are interested.
The Dolphins are also in a spot where they might be moving on to a new quarterback. The franchise can draft one in 2026, and Quinn Ewers did not look all that bad when he got the chance to start at the end of the 2025 season. Johnson's success in helping Stroud might make him an ideal candidate for Miami's open offensive coordinator position, especially since it seems a given that the team will have a new, young starting quarterback in 2026.
Johnson never had much success as a quarterback in the NFL during his playing career, but he could already be climbing the coaching ranks if things go well during an interview with the Dolphins. Houston would certainly hurt if the franchise lost Johnson, but maybe Stroud could benefit from a new coach after struggling to develop over the last two seasons.