Why You Should Trust Jack Easterby

Despite the mountain of evidence that Jack Easterby has negatively impacted the Houston Texans organization in an unprecedented number of ways, team president and defacto-owner Cal McNair is still drinking the Easterby flavored Koolaid.

(If, for any reason, you’re unfamiliar with good ol’ Jack, read this first)

The fanbase is clearly not with Cal on this.

In order to look at the situation in a more objective way, let’s take a peek at the Easterby Effect. I.e., how the former team chaplain turned Houston football czar has altered the franchise.

Bill Belichick

Jack’s not a personnel person, no.

When Easterby arrived on the scene, the Houston Texans were a perennial AFC South Champion squad. While they didn’t seem to know how to get over the Conference Championship hump, the team was still winning more than losing, had players that generated highlight reel plays, and offered the great people of Houston a solid escape from the daily grind.

Since Easterby’s arrival, many key players have left the team, with their leaving having direct connection to Easterby as either the catalyst or the guy who influenced personnel decisions.

Star players who have left the Texans since Jack Easterby Arrived

• DeAndre Hopkins
• Jadeveon Clowney
• Tyrann Mathieu
• Will Fuller
• D.J. Reader
• Kareem Jackson
• Deshaun Watson (technically still on the team)
• Whitney Mercilus
• Benardrick McKinney
• J.J. Watt
• Justin Reid (leaving the team in 3... 2... )

Houston Texans coaches/staff who have left the team since the Easterby Effect kicked in:

• Amy Palcic, VP of Communications
• Andre Johnson, advisor to the head coach
• Jamey Rootes, team president
• Brian Cushing, assistant coach

We can debate whether these players/personnel were going to leave anyway and to what level they had a positive impact on the team. No matter where you stand on that, it’s clearly not a real pretty picture. To be fair, let’s look at the other side.

Star players who have joined the Texans since Jack Easterby Arrived

• Brandin Cooks (acquired in trade)
• Laremy Tunsil (acquired in trade)

>crickets<

Texans coaches/staff who have joined the team since the Easterby Effect kicked in:

• David Culley
• Lovie Smith

Looking at these two lists from both sides, it’s hard to understand why anyone would believe that Jack Easterby is improving the Houston Texans in any way/shape/form. Looking at this through the eyes of players and personnel, it’s doubtful any good player, coach, or staffer would eye the Texans as a good career move.

I mean, what player doesn’t dream of playing in front of tens of thousands of empty seats?

If you’re one of the countless Texans fans staging a personal boycott of the team, don’t feel bad, You’re not alone.