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The Texans have hired Nick Caserio as the team’s fourth general manager.
The Texans agreed to Caserio’s contract with agent Bob Lamonte on Tuesday night after interviewing him in Houston during the day.
It’s a move that will receive universal praise in the NFL because Caserio is a highly respected staff member. This will be a tough sell in Houston because Caserio knows only one way: the Patriot Way.
Fans and media alike will equate Caserio with Bill O’Brien, who spent five years with the Patriots and was sacked after a 0-4 start in October in his seventh season as the Texans coach.
Caserio, 45, has worked in New England for 20 years, including 13 as director of player personnel working for coach Bill Belichick. He follows Charley Casserly, Rick Smith and O’Brien as general managers of the Texans.
On Monday, owner Cal McNair and executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby flew to New England to pick up Caserio and bring him back to Houston for the interview.
Caserio and Easterby are friends who worked together for six years with the Patriots. Easterby left New England for the Texans in 2019.
Under NFL rules, candidates working for teams that are not in the playoffs can meet in person or on Zoom conference calls.
Now that it’s official, the Texans have a new GM with training in staff and coaching. Now that he’s been hired, Caserio will join McNair in the search for a new head coach.
This is the second time McNair has sued Caserio. After sacking Brian Gaine in June 2019, McNair attempted to interview Caserio as his replacement. The Patriots filed forgery charges and McNair withdrew his claim.
Caserio, who joined the Patriots in 2001 as a personnel assistant, ultimately impressed Belichick enough to become his right-hand man on personnel decisions.
Belichick has the final say on personnel decisions in New England. This is the first time that Caserio will have this responsibility.
Caserio also worked as an assistant coach for Belichick before returning to the personnel department and being promoted to his current role in 2008.
This will be the first time that Caserio has participated in a coaching search. McNair and the search committee interviewed Jim Caldwell, Marvin Lewis and Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
When Tennessee and Indianapolis are eliminated from the playoffs, they will interview Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The Texans could also target Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
Daboll won five Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach for New England and knows Caserio well. Daboll, 45, joined the Patriots in 2000, a year before Caserio arrived.
New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is not a candidate to become the Texans’ new head coach.
Once Caserio starts his new job, fans and the media will want to see if he tries to make the Patriot Way the Houston Way.
It’s a chance for Caserio to step out of the Belichick umbrella and establish his own path.
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