Houston's coaching shake-up signals a ruthless pursuit of elite performance, aiming for championship contention by shedding all but the best.
On Wednesday, news broke that the Houston Texans have fired tight ends coach Jake Moreland and moved on from assistant linebackers coach Ben Bolling.
While these might seem like "bottom-of-the-roster" coaching moves, they signal a clear, unsentimental message from Ryans that, "Good" is no longer the standard in Houston. Only "Elite" survives.
As reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC, Texans fire tight ends coach Jake Moreland, move on from assistant linebackers coach Ben Bolling, not renewing offensive assistant Mike Snyder
The Jake Moreland Exit
The firing of Jake Moreland is the most eye-catching move. Moreland has been a staple of the Ryans era since 2023 and, on paper, the tight end room was one of the few consistent bright spots in an up-and-down 2025 season. Dalton Schultz posted a career-high 82 receptions, and rookie Cade Stover showed flashes of becoming a reliable secondary target.
So, why fire the guy who oversaw a career year from his TE1?
- The Nick Caley Factor: Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley who was retained despite some fan outcry, is a tight-end specialist by trade (having coached the position for years under Bill Belichick). By removing Moreland, Ryans is likely clearing the path for Caley to bring in "his guy" or to restructure the offensive hierarchy to better mirror his vision.
- Lack of Depth Production: Beyond Schultz, the Texans' tight ends were virtually non-existent in the scoring column, combining for exactly zero touchdowns. In a league where the 12-personnel (two-tight end) set is becoming a chess piece for elite offenses, Houston’s lack of a "Plan B" at the position likely frustrated a head coach who demands versatility. The Patriots match-up proved that when Shultz exited the game with a calf injury and rookie Cade Stover checked in.
The Ben Bolling Departure
Ben Bolling’s departure is more of a slow-burn exit. Bolling had been with the organization since 2021 pre-dating the Ryans era and survived multiple regime changes.
However, linebackers are DeMeco Ryans’ soul. As a former All-Pro linebacker himself, Ryans views that room with a microscopic lens. While Azeez Al-Shaair and Christian Harris have been productive, the "assistant" role is often where developmental mistakes are caught and or missed. Moving on from Bolling suggests that Ryans wants a fresh set of eyes on a defensive unit that at times struggled with consistency in gap integrity during the 2025 campaign.
The Big Picture
The Texans also opted not to renew offensive assistant Mike Snyder, further thinning out the coaching spots.
These moves tell us possibly two things about the state of the franchise:
- Ryans is Protecting his OC: By firing position coaches rather than Nick Caley, Ryans is betting that the system works, but the teaching was the flaw. He’s giving Caley the tools (and the staff) to succeed in 2026, removing any excuses for a stagnant offense.
- The Window is Wide Open: You don’t fire a coach who just helped his player to a career year unless you believe you can do better. The Texans are acting like a team that knows they have a generational quarterback in C.J. Stroud and a limited window to maximize his rookie contract.
My 2 Cents
Jake Moreland and Ben Bolling aren't "bad" coaches, they are simply the latest casualties of a franchise that has transitioned from "happy to be here" to "Super Bowl or bust." The Texans are pruning the branches, hoping that a more streamlined, hand-picked staff will be the difference between another Divisional exit and a trip to the AFC Championship. The goal is to get to the big dance, and Ryans and the front office are pushing for that in 2026.