Back in late February, the Houston Texans and third-year quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson made the decision to mutually part ways. Though the move was called for by various fans and local media outlets, the timing of the decision was a bit weird, considering it was about a full month after the season’s conclusion. 

The team then elevated senior offensive assistant Jerry Schlupinski to the position, putting him in charge of overseeing the crucial year-four development of young franchise signal caller C.J. Stroud. Johnson then joined the Philadelphia Eagles to serve with head coach Nick Sirianni on his staff and help in the continued development of quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Since the departure, there hasn’t been much available on what the overall sentiment was from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans. That is until today, when Ryans spoke on the transition from the NFL’s annual league meeting in Phoenix.

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans finally speaks on departure of Jerrod Johnson

Being quoted by KPRC 2’s Texans Insider Aaron Wilson, Ryans first spoke glowingly of Johnson as a contributor to Houston’s success since his hire in 2023.

“Thank him (Johnson) for his service to the Houston Texans. I think he did a really good job. Him and C.J. have a connection from back in HS, hate to see him go, but also the nature of our business, things like that happen. I think Jerrod is going to be a really good coach.”

Ryans brought up the fact that Johnson and Stroud have virtually been tied together since his (Stroud’s) high school years, which illustrates how difficult the decision truly was from an interpersonal and professional standpoint. This is especially considering how their historic first professional year together was, with Stroud finishing a 4,000-yard and 20 touchdown season with an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

However, Ryans made it clear that his focus was on the betterment of the Texans by way of the continued growth and effectiveness of Stroud. This comes after a two-season follow up where Stroud has yet to recapture the type of poise and consistent playmaking that defined him in year one. 

“Looking at everything where we were the past three years, sometimes a change of scenery, change of voice, how can we help C.J. best, maybe changing of the voice, who’s giving him the information. From my perspective, a lot of tough decisions put us, the Texans, in the best position possible.”

He went on to emphasize that the decision was about doing “what it takes to raise up the room” and keeping a “big picture direction.”

Texans’ hopes for immediate success hinge on Stroud’s growth

Ryans and the team understands how important Stroud’s trajectory is when it comes to the Texans’ immediate ambitions for a Super Bowl run. At one point, he (Stroud) looked every bit of a top-10 passer with the brightest future of his draft counterparts in Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis. At the end of 2025, amid a playoff meltdown of epic proportions, Stroud is looking to rebuild his reputation going into year four. 

Alongside offensive coordinator Nick Caley, Schlupinski and Stroud must come together and address the things that became chronic concerns over the last two seasons. Whether it be turnovers, pocket awareness, foot-work or reading defenses, something shifted on an individual level with Stroud over the course of his three-year tenure, and now it’s on all involved to get things rectified before the season starts. If the Texans want to build on their three-year streak of making the AFC playoffs, ironing out the wrinkles in Stroud’s game is one of the top priorities on the list. 

Johnson’s contributions to the team are etched in the history books of Texans lore. With that said, to echo Ryans’ statement earlier, sometimes a change in scenery can be beneficial for all parties involved.