Texans Rumors: Chargers' Pep Hamilton to Be Hired as QB Coach amid Watson Buzz

The Houston Texans reportedly are "expected" to hire Pep Hamilton to serve as their quarterbacks coach, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.

Hamilton spent the 2020 season in the same position for the Los Angeles Chargers, working with star rookie Justin Herbert. 

The 46-year-old has a deep resume, having worked as an assistant for the New York Jets (2003-05) and San Francisco 49ers (2006) before spending three years as the QBs coach for the Chicago Bears (2007-09). He also was the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts (2013-15) and the assistant head coach of the Cleveland Browns (2016). 

At the collegiate level, he spent time as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for Howard (1997-2001). At Stanford, he coached their receivers (2010) and was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator (2011-12). He also spent two seasons as Michigan's passing-game coordinator (2017-18).

It's somewhat surprising that Hamilton landed with the Texans as a quarterbacks coach, given that he reportedly was interviewing with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans for their offensive coordinator positions and was a candidate for the same position with the Miami Dolphins.

The pressing question for Hamilton, new head coach David Culley and the Texans organization, of course, is which quarterback Hamilton will actually be coaching next season after Deshaun Watson reportedly asked for a trade, per Sarah Barshop of ESPN.

Per that report, Watson requested a trade weeks ago and Culley's hiring "has not and will not alter Watson's thinking, sources told ESPN, and the quarterback hasn't spoken to new Texans general manager Nick Caserio or executive Jack Easterby."

Complicating matters for both sides is that Watson has a no-trade clause and is under contract for three more years. The former gives Watson leverage to help determine where he ends up if he's indeed dealt. The latter gives the Texans leverage to simply keep him in Houston, though an unhappy franchise quarterback has the potential to turn into a highly dysfunctional situation.

It seems likely at this point that Culley and Hamilton will be working with a quarterback not named Watson next season.