According to league sources, the Houston Texans hired 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as head coach Tuesday to replace Lovie Smith, who was was fired earlier this month.
DeMeco’s ties with the Texans began decades earlier in 2006 when the team drafted him. Ryans received numerous recognitions while with the Texans -- He was the 2006 defensive rookie of the year, an All-Pro player in 2007, a team captain and a two-time Pro Bowler.
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The photos below chart DeMeco’s evolution from Texans linebacker to head coach.
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DeMeco Ryans attended the University of Alabama, where he played outside linebacker for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 2002 to 2005.
The Houston Texans selected Ryans in the 2006 NFL Draft. Ryans played for Houston from 2006-2011.
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In 2012, Ryans was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ryans’ playing career ended after the 2015 season. He spent one year in Houston before accepting a job as an entry-level quality control assistant under coach Kyle Shahanan in San Francisco in 2017, the Associated Press reported. He was promoted to linebackers coach and then moved up to defensive coordinator.