Houston rejoices as controversial Houston Texans executive Jack Easterby was finally fired by the team after years of questionable behavior.
This morning, Adam Schefter broke news that he described as a “significant shakeup”: the Houston Texans were finally parting ways with executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby.
Described as having a “major voice” in the organization, Easterby has been scrutinized over the past few years for his behind-the-scenes machinations that once reminded Texans players of Game of Thrones character Petyr Baelish.
Easterby’s questionable methods and motives have been explored at length, but the firing by the Texans indicates a genuine rebuild for a troubled organization. Despite an impressive 2017 season and shortened postseason, the Texans have been saddled with the inadequate coaching and management of Bill O’Brien, who made a slew of confounding trades that set the franchise back years. That, and the culture Easterby created in the locker room, has taken the Texans from promise to precipitous plummet in a matter of years.
With Easterby gone, the city of Houston finds relief and hope in the Texans future.
Houston rejoices with news that Jack Easterby is out of the building
For those unfamiliar with the Easterby saga, it’s difficult to summarize just how much he detroyed this organization from within. But words like “pox” put it succinctly, and the testimonies of Texans players speak volumes about what this moment means.
Even those who would never wish for someone to lose their job were glad to see Easterby gone.
Former Texans wide receiver Jaelen Strong described Easterby as “the start of the Texans downfall.”
There’s also Easterby’s questionable path to power in one of the “wildest” career paths imaginable in the NFL.
Fans praised the McNair family for finally severing ties with Easterby.
There were also reminders that this was a stunning pivot, as all onlookers assumed his job was “untouchable”, as one person put it.
Other fans are now focused on what’s next for the beleaguered franchise.
There were also Houston sports fans who just wanted to bask in the levity of the moment.
Houston sports radio host Landry Locker assures listeners that he will lay out some of what Easterby’s done behind the scenes on his show in the coming week.
Anyone who is looking to better understand the situation can read the extensive Sports Illustrated feature exploring the issue penned by Greg Bishop and Jenny Vrentas.
While there’s still quite a bit up in the air for the future of the Texans, fans can find peace in the fact that this tortuous situation has now been resolved.