Texans HC Bill O'Brien Appointed GM, Jack Easterby Named Executive VP

Houston Texans owner Cal McNair announced coach Bill O'Brien has officially been given the title of general manager, and Jack Easterby has been named executive vice president of football operations.

"This is the way we've been operating for the last eight months. They led us to a 10-win season, another division title and into the divisional round. Our goal is to win championships," McNair told reporters Tuesday.

O'Brien has been serving as the de facto general manager since the team fired Brian Gaine last June. Chris Olsen was given the interim general manager title, but O'Brien had final say over all football-related moves. Olsen was fired after the Texans were eliminated from the postseason by the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I was encouraged by the progress that our team made on the field this year which was due in part to our new structure, operating approach and the leaders within our football operations group," McNair said in a statement. "I am proud that we provided our fans with many thrilling victories at home, including a playoff win, and we delivered another double-digit win season. Our fans deserve that, but now it is time for the organization to get back to work toward our pursuit of a world championship for the city of Houston."

The Texans were active on the trade market with O'Brien at the helm, trading defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks for Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo, and a third-round pick. That third-round pick was later used to acquire cornerback Gareon Conley. The Texans also sent out draft picks to acquire offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, wideout Kenny Stills and running back Duke Johnson.

The result was an all-in 2019 campaign that ended with a 10-6 record and a divisional round playoff exit. Houston has also made a number of staff changes since the end of the season, including firing assistant coach John Pagano and replacing defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel with Anthony Weaver.

O'Brien's consolidation of power also means the buck fully stops with him for the first time in his NFL career. The 50-year-old coach has won four division championships in six seasons with the Texans but has a 2-4 postseason record. His contract runs through the 2022 season.