HOUSTON – Former Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson wrote on Twitter his thoughts on the current situation surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson’s dissatisfaction with the team, saying: “If I’m [Watson], I will stay on earth. “
“Texans are known for losing players’ careers,” added the former All-Pro receiver. “Since Jack Easterby entered the building, nothing good has happened in / for the organization and, for some reason, no one seems to see what’s happening. Pathetic !!!”
Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was replaced by former Texans head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien in March, also posted on Twitter“When you talk, Dre, listen.”
Johnson, the leader of the Texans franchise in receptions, court receptions and touchdowns, played for Houston from 2003 to ’14. His last season was O’Brien’s first with the team. After Johnson retired, he moved on to a role with the Texans’ coaching staff under O’Brien. In August, Johnson left the Texan coaching staff, but continued as the Texan ambassador. Johnson and Easterby overlapped with the organization for more than a year.
Easterby, the Texans’ executive vice president of football operations, was hired by O’Brien and Cal McNair team president and CEO in 2019. After McNair fired O’Brien in October, he named Romeo Crennel head coach. interim of the team and gave Easterby responsibility over the personnel department.
McNair initially said Easterby would not be involved in hiring the next Texan general manager, Nick Caserio, but said he asked Easterby for feedback “about Nick as a leader” during the decision-making process.
“Jack and I had a really special relationship,” Caserio said at the introductory press conference. “He came back a few years ago … I have a huge amount of respect and admiration. Any staff decision that will be made we will make as a group, but in the end this is a responsibility that Cal instilled in me. -Oh, it’s to manage the part of the football operations staff, so that’s the expectation to move on.
“Jack will have a role and we will work together on a number of things for sure. But when it comes to football decisions, they will ultimately be my decision with the head coach once we get to that point, also.”
The day the Texans announced that they had hired Caserio, there were several media reports that Watson was unhappy with the hiring process. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Watson found out on social media that the Texans intend to hire Caserio. Although there have been several reports of his unhappiness, Watson’s only reaction to the hiring of the general manager came in the form of a tweet deleted since then, which said: “some things never change …”
On Friday, McNair said he arrived at Watson, but did not hear from the defender while on vacation.