The Texans fired head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien on Monday, the team announced, revealing Romeo Crennel will over as Houston's interim head coach.
The Texans opened the 2020 NFL season 0-4 one year after reaching the NFL's divisional round of the playoffs, and they don't have much help coming around the corner since the Dolphins own both their first- and second-round 2021 NFL Draft picks. The last nail in O'Brien's coffin may have been his offseason trade of star WR De'Andre Hopkins for oft-injured RB David Johnson.
Almost immediately following O'Brien's firing, Twitter had a field day remembering some of his worst moves — a past time for NFL fans each time O'Brien made a trade in recent years.
The most popular move people ragged on Monday was O'Brien's 2020 trade of Hopkins for Johnson. The Texans added a second-round pick to their coffers by making that deal, but a move that was widely criticized then looks even worse with the way Hopkins has gotten off to a hot start in Arizona.
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Bill O'Brien traded DeAndre Hopkins for David Johnson, shipped out all the Texans draft picks, fired his GM and took total control of the organization, routinely put Deshaun Watson in physical harm with his play calling but it took an 8-point Week 4 Vikings loss to get him fired.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 5, 2020
Turns out trading arguably the best WR in the league for an oft-injured RB that’s struggled in recent years resulted in bad things. Who would’ve thought! https://t.co/I4c05HQmiX
— Eric Storms (@eric__storms) October 5, 2020
Bill O’Brien traded the best receiver in the NFL because of a personal feud and then started the season 0-4 and got fired. So Houston lost Deandre Hopkins for personal embarrassment and nothing else.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) October 5, 2020
Being a Texans “fan” is an elite level of pain.
O'Brien also made the questionable move before the 2019 season of trading a 2020 first-round pick, 2021 first-round pick, defensive back Johnson Bademosi and tackle Julien Davenport to the Dolphins for tackle Laremy Tunsil, wideout Kenny Stills, a 2020 fourth-round pick and a 2021 sixth-round pick. That 2020 first-rounder moved on from Miami to Green Bay, which selected quarterback Jordan Love.
The #Texans (0-4) would currently hold the 3rd-overall pick if the season ended today...
— CTB (@catchtheblitz) October 5, 2020
However, the #Dolphins own that pick after Bill O'Brien traded it for OT Laremy Tunsil.
As a dolphins fan. O’Brien has made stellar moves. His best being the laremy tunsil deal with Miami.
— Mac (@Macdaddy35Mac) September 28, 2020
Bill O’Brien’s parting shot with the Texans could be that Houston lands the No. 1, but Miami would make the selection because HOU’s 2020 first-rounder was traded as part of the Laremy Tunsil deal.
— Josh Hill (@jdavhill) October 5, 2020
You can fire Bill O but this stain is going to be hard to wash out.
A popular recent criticism of O'Brien has also involved his inability to maximize the talents of former Clemson star Deshaun Watson, who is one of the best quarterbacks in football. Twitter didn't let Watson's potential happiness at this latest move go unnoticed, either.
Deshaun Watson pic.twitter.com/BrZpa7NyRf
— Stephen A. Smith Burner (@SASBurnerAcct) October 5, 2020
Deshaun Watson right now pic.twitter.com/1AeaIPdvqp
— Barstool Texas (@TexasBarstool) October 5, 2020
Bill O'Brien: *fired*
— Emerson Lotzia, Jr. (@EmersonLotzia) October 5, 2020
Deshaun Watson's career: pic.twitter.com/X8hwLE3GQN
O'Brien also backed himself into a corner with Jadeveon Clowney in 2019 and was forced to trade him to Seattle for Barkevious Mingo, Jacob Martin and a third-round pick. O'Brien then dealt tackle Duane Brown to the Seahawks for a couple of draft picks. And the Texans sent a 2020 second-round pick to the Rams in the offseason for Brandin Cooks and a 2022 fourth-round pick.
Texans waited until Bill O’Brien destroyed their franchise to Fire him. He traded away Clowney and Hopkins for a tray of biscuits. It’s too late for all that. Smh
— 🖕🏾 (@GunnLL1million) October 5, 2020
Y'all really clowning Bill O'Brien? Look what he's done with an unproven asset like Brandin Cooks.
— Alex Rollins (@AlexRollinsNFL) October 5, 2020
Checkmate