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NFL Coach Power Rankings: Where Jay Gruden fits in among the 32 coaches

By Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Bill O’Brien talks with Tom Savage #3 of the Houston Texans during the first half of game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Bill O’Brien talks with Tom Savage #3 of the Houston Texans during the first half of game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

10. . Head Coach. Houston Texans. Bill O'Brien. 17. player

Bill O’Brien is a very solid head coach. He doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, and there was even some speculation that he could be fired following a 4-12 campaign with the Texans. The team rightfully decided to keep O’Brien in the fold, and it’s possible that they could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year.

O’Brien has been able to do good work with the team since joining on as the head coach in 2014. In his four years as head coach, O’Brien has had a revolving door at quarterback that included many pedestrian players. The team’s nine starters during O’Brien’s tenure have been Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer, Tom Savage, Brandon Weeden, T.J. Yates, Brock Osweiler, and Deshaun Watson.

Of that crew, only Watson has proven to be a potential franchise quarterback, though Keenum may have blossomed into one this year. The fact of the matter is that O’Brien was able to lead the Texans to three 9-7 finishes with this crop of quarterbacks. And that is a major achievement. They made the playoffs in both 2015 and 2016 and though they only posted a 1-2 record, it proved that O’Brien has the ability necessary to overcome poor quarterback play and get the team to the postseason. After all, Hoyer and Osweiler were his primary passers in those two postseason trips.

With Watson in the fold and recovering well from the torn ACL that prematurely ended his rookie campaign, O’Brien will now be able to focus on the rest of the offense and bring that up to speed. The team has some young talent at running back, and their offensive line will need some work. But as O’Brien has proven, he knows how to successfully run an offense. And when the defense is healthy, they will be solid as well, as O’Brien has built a quality coaching staff around him.

The only reason O’Brien is ranked this low is because there was reports that he could be fired amid a rift with then Texans GM Rick Smith. Instead, Smith elected to take a leave of absence as his wife battles breast cancer. But still, the reports of tension move him down just a bit, though his coaching acumen should not be questioned.

With another trip to the postseason, O’Brien could jump into the top 10. He’s just a good coach who knows how to coach up quarterbacks and lead teams to victory.

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