Two years after helping the 49ers remain a postseason contender, Ryans was hired to replace Lovie Smith as the Texans’ head coach. Entering the season, many believed the Thursday Night Showdown could have significant playoff implications headlined by Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Stroud.

Among the seven NFL head coaches hired heading into the 2021 season, only two remain—Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles. Robert Saleh became the fifth coach of the '21 class to receive the pink slip when he was fired by the New York Jets on Tuesday,

Tight end Tyler Conklin said during a video call with reporters he thought the quarterback “probably took this harder than almost anybody” because it was clear that “it weighed heavy on him.”