Head coach Bill O’Brien knew he wanted Romeo Crennel to remain on his coaching staff. Crennel, whose contract was set to expire, helped develop the Texans top-ranking defense last season that finished No. 1 in the NFL for the first time in franchise history.
“He had been a former head coach, had great success as a defensive coordinator in a similar system in pro football that I was familiar with," O'Brien said Jan. 12. "I knew that having a guy like him on our staff with all of the different experiences that he’s had in football both on and off the field – forget about the X’s and O’s – just all the other things he’s had to deal with, I knew that he’d be a valuable member of the staff.