Demeco Ryans

DeMeco Ryans has transitioned from a decorated NFL player to a highly successful head coach, guiding the Houston Texans to immediate playoff success. After earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American honors in 2005 at the University of Alabama, DeMeco Ryans was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, becoming the highest-selected Alabama linebacker since 1997. He immediately secured the starting middle linebacker position, leading the Texans in tackles during his rookie season. Ryans’ exceptional playing career was marked by significant accolades, including the Lott Trophy in 2005, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006, First-team All-Pro in 2007, and Pro Bowl selections in both 2007 and 2009.

Stroud the first head coach/quarterback duo in NFL history to win the division in each of their first two seasons together. The Texans also advanced to the Divisional Round for the second year in a row, marking only the second time in franchise history. Under Ryans, the Texans’ defense achieved franchise records for sacks (49.0) and tackles for loss (106) in 2024, ranking highly in several key defensive categories across the NFL, and contributed to five Pro Bowl selections in 2024.