Two Ex-Players Revive Their Teams and Face Off Sunday

A fan once stopped DeMeco Ryans in a Houston grocery store with a simple confession: he had started watching Texans football again after years of staying away.

That moment captured exactly why Ryans returned to coach the team where he once played. From 2020 to 2022, the Texans posted an 11-38-1 record that drove fans away and left the franchise searching for hope.

Three seasons later, Ryans has the Texans (12-5) heading into the divisional round for the third straight year. They demolished the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 last weekend and now chase something the franchise has never reached: an AFC Championship Game appearance.

Standing in their way Sunday is another former player turned coach who staged his own dramatic turnaround. Mike Vrabel inherited a New England Patriots team that went 4-13 in back-to-back seasons and led them to a 14-3 record and their first division title since 2019.

Both men know what it means to wear their team's colors as players. Ryans earned All-Pro honors with Houston and helped deliver the franchise's first playoff win in 2011. Vrabel won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and earned a spot in their Ring of Honor.

The Ripple Effect

The impact goes far beyond winning games. Ryans saw his old team struggling from afar and felt compelled to restore something precious: civic pride in Houston football.

"People are genuinely joyful about what these guys are able to do on the field," Ryans said. "We can provide some joy to our community."

Right tackle Tytus Howard noticed the shift immediately when Ryans arrived. "He's made everybody's game go to another level by him being here," Howard told ESPN.

This marks just the third divisional round matchup since 1970 between head coaches who also played for their respective franchises. The rarity makes Sunday's game even more meaningful for both men who understand the weight of their team's jersey from both sides.

Vrabel reflected on the unique challenge of coaching instead of playing. "You have to be confident enough that you've helped them get to the game, prepared them and done everything that you can to put them in a position to be successful," he said.

The Texans face an 0-6 skid in divisional round games that Ryans is determined to end. Houston became just the seventh team in Super Bowl era history to clinch a playoff spot after starting 0-2, proving that belief and culture can overcome early adversity.

Two former stars are now writing the next chapter of their legacies, leading their teams toward glory instead of chasing it themselves.