This is certainly unfair for Lovie Smith, but it’s also just another example of the cutthroat business of the NFL.
The Houston Texans fired head coach Lovie Smith on Jan. 8, just hours after the team finished the regular season with a 3-13-1 record. It was Smith’s first season with the franchise.
“We are grateful for [Smith’s] leadership and character, and we wish him the best moving forward,” Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said in a statement. “While we understand the results have not been what we had hoped for, we are committed to building a program that produces long-term, sustainable success. Our fans and city deserve a team that they can be proud of.”
Houston fired two head coaches in the span of just one year, ousting David Culley in Jan. 2022. Smith was the defensive coordinator under Culley’s 2021 staff, as well as the associate head coach. He became the team’s official head coach Feb. 7 after Culley’s firing.
The #Texans have fired coach Lovie Smith, per me and @MikeGarafolo. Another one-and-done in Houston. pic.twitter.com/1Ld7PxCGUq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 9, 2023
Lovie Smith is such a G.
Now, obviously I don’t know if he did this on purpose, but I’m gonna rock with it anyways because it makes Lovie look like a legend — a Chicago legend in particular. And like I said, an outright G.
If you’re not aware, Lovie Smith used to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2004-2012, and even led the Bears to Super Bowl XLI in 2007. The man is already a legend in Chicago for those reasons alone. (RELATED: Is This Is It For Aaron Rodgers In The NFL? Is He Leaving The Packers? Future HOF’er Leaves Open Unanswered Questions)
And now you have this (and I’m 99.9% sure I’m right), where Lovie knew he was going to get fired by the Texans and beat the Indianapolis Colts on purpose (because I’m sold McNair wanted to tank for the number-one pick in the NFL draft) in order to completely screw up their plans and put them at No. 2. And not just that, but Lovie also gave the number-one pick to his old team, the Chicago Bears.
Just think about it: Lovie Smith coached like a man with nothing to lose, specifically on that two-point conversion at the end of the game to win the damn thing. It was a complete make-or-break play that made a win for Lovie and broke the Texans’ dreams of having the top pick in the draft.
And McNair seemed so pissed off about it, too:
Lovie Smith knew he is probably getting fired. Goes for two and the win and delivers a great parting gift to Texans Owner Cal McNair by costing his franchise the #1 pick in the Draft.
— Keith Jouganatos (@KeithJouganatos) January 9, 2023
Just a straight-up middle finger to Texans ownership, and showing love to Chicago in the process.
“We’re firing Lovie Smith and getting the first overall pick”
Lovie Smith: pic.twitter.com/iwVwFffMWw
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) January 8, 2023
What a G — a true Chi-town legend.