Texans Part Ways with Front Office Problem
Will the firing of Easterby be the start of a new era for the Texans? Or will their problems continue despite the firing?
It’s official. As of the time of this writing, Jack Easterby is no longer a part of the Texans organization. Unfurl the banners, crack open the champagne, and rejoice that the last piece of a terrible era for the Texans organization has come to an end. Jack Easterby was a large part of the implosion that started after a devastating loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020 playoffs.
A Look at the Legacy
Legacy is a generous word to use for the impact that Jack Easterby has had on the Texans organization since his hire in 2019. Easterby was hired as the executive vice president of team development in April 2019 and the decision was met with mixed results. Some saw him as a unifying, spiritual presence that would help gel the team and establish the future of the organization. Others saw a power-hungry spiritual poser, who used the guise of religion to execute decisions that increased his leverage within the building. Which version is accurate? The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle.
The spotlight initially found the unlikely Jack Easterby when Sports Illustrated released a scathing article painting him as the devil in disguise in the Texans organization. They laid the blame for the Texans’ woes directly under his influence, but distinctly noted the swift retribution that came as a result of his involvement in any player matters. In addition to sabotaging the locker room culture, he also allegedly had a strong hand in the atrocious Hopkins trade as well as the downfall of Bill O’Brien.
Who Else Should Be Blamed?
Numerous players, coaches, and staff members inside the Texans organization made statements depicting Easterby as the great wrong of the organization, but many did so anonymously (for fear of retribution). While Easterby must take responsibility for his continued mistakes within the organization, some blame must be laid at the feet of the man who enabled his puzzling ascent: McNair. Multiple reports indicated that there were concerns about the speed of Jack’s ascent, but these concerns were ignored in favor of a friendship and memory that no longer held to be true.
At the end of his tenure with the Texans, the organization had done all that it could to keep him out of the news. Decreasing his public exposure, reducing his responsibilities, and refusing to talk about him in any capacity that wasn’t high-level. A large part of this shift can likely be attributed to Nick Caserio, the newly acquired GM that was taken from the Patriots organization. Nick has a reputation for embracing the “Patriot way”, opting to reveal little, plan much, and stay focused on the work. It became apparent after his arrival that he planned to allow Easterby’s role to continue unchallenged (which at one point included salary cap management).
With Easterby’s official termination happening on Monday, October 17, 2022, the tumultuous four year journey has finally come to a close. Whether or not he is to blame for the recent woes of the Texans will likely remain speculation. However, the fact remains that his severance from the franchise will help to reduce long-term distraction within the building.
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A Future of Possibility
What happens next? A void has been created that will likely need to be filled, with an important role available for grabs that could help continue to shift the Texans’ culture in the right direction. Many have begun speculating that Andre Johnson might be eyeing the role, with multiple Instagram items surfacing shortly after the news broke.
Texans legend Andre Johnson via his Instagram story 👀 Could we see Andre more involved with the organization after the departure of Jack Easterby 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uqLPOfJtfT — Drew (@IndepthTexans) October 17, 2022
Additionally, other Texan legends seem to think that he’s the man for the job, taking to social media to show their support for the future hall-of-famer.
Former #Texans players supporting Andre Johnson. Love to see it. pic.twitter.com/rbG3lpB3in — Nick Schwager (@NickSchwagerNFL) October 17, 2022
Whatever the Texans decide to do in the future of Easterby’s position, let’s hope that the severance of Jack from the organization is enough to bring Andre Johnson back into the building and into the future of this franchise.
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