HOUSTON – A week after Houston Texans president and CEO Cal McNair said he had not heard from quarterback Deshaun Watson since hiring general manager Nick Caserio, McNair said he had now “connected by SMS” with Watson.
“It’s no secret that he’s disappointed with the communication during the hiring process,” McNair said, according to an interview with the Houston Chronicle and Fox 26 Houston.
On the day the Texans announced the hiring of Caserio, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Watson was not happy with the process because, according to league sources, “Watson offered his advice on potential candidates to the manager. general, but the Texans neither considered nor consulted those endorsed by their franchise quarterback. “
Now McNair says the Texans “want [Watson] in the loop and part of the process “as Houston searches for its next head coach. Watson found out on social media, not through the team, that the Texans had hired Caserio, multiple sources told Schefter.
In the interview, McNair also said he would not fire Jack Easterby, executive vice president of football operations for the Texans. Earlier in the week, former Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson tweeted he was alongside Watson and slammed Easterby.
“The Texans organization is known to ruin the careers of players,” Johnson tweeted. “Since Jack Easterby entered the building nothing good has happened in / for the organization and for some reason someone doesn’t seem to see what’s going on. Pathetic !!!”
McNair initially said Easterby would not be involved in the process of hiring the Texans’ next general manager, but he said during Caserio’s introductory press conference that he asked Easterby for comments. ” on Nick as a leader “during the decision-making process.
“Jack and I have had a really special relationship,” Caserio said. “It’s been several years. … I have tremendous respect and admiration for him. All the personnel decisions that will be made, we will make as a group, but at the end of the day it’s a responsibility. that Cal instilled in me, is to manage the personal side of football operations. So that’s the wait for the future. “
Schefter also reported that after the Texans traded wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Watson’s anger level was “a 2. … this time it’s a 10.”
Friday, Watson tweeted, “I was on 2 and then I increased it to 10.” Less than 30 minutes later, Watson tweeted, “Future – Vibes Mo Reala!” This song has the lyrics, “I was on 2 then I took it to 10.”
“Change is difficult and we are going through change and I accept that not everything has gone perfectly,” McNair said in the interview. “It’s just difficult and we are working on it. If the players, the media and the fans are upset, it is on me and I will apologize for my actions or communications which have created distrust and I accept the frustrations of these teams and these fans. “
