Barefield: Three years later, Nick Caserio finally has the Texans in business

Sep 17, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio (left) speaks with special teams coordinator Frank Ross (right) prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

I noticed a familiar face as I returned to my seat during the Houston Rockets game against the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center.

It was one that I was used to seeing at NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans. Still, I never imagined seeing Texans Executive Vice President and General Manager Nick Caserio at a basketball game. In true Caserio fashion, he was locked in.

“Nice to see you here, Nick,” I said as we shook hands and exchanged greetings. “You are having one heck of an offseason. Some would say that you are winning, and you still have the draft coming up.”

That last statement brought a smile to his face, as it should with the acquisitions he has been able to make, which have landed running back Joe Mixon, edge rusher Danielle Hunter, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, and wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Whenever the Texans were mentioned in any conversation, countless accolades were thrown around.

They drafted arguably the two best picks last April in Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud at No. 2 and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3.

First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans also exceeded expectations by helping lead the team to the divisional round of the playoffs and being named runner-up for 2023 NFL Coach of the Year. Under his guidance and leadership, the team developed a standard and cultural blueprint that will build a foundation for years to come.

CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr – the Texans sweep the Rookie of the Year awards

The future is bright in Houston 🌟 pic.twitter.com/Ej9gMJHi8Q

— PFF (@PFF) February 9, 2024

Yet, Caserio was the architect of the “Texans Rebuild” project as he worked best from behind the scenes.

Although he is indirectly responsible for the team’s success, he would instead rather watch others receive praise for the revitalization of the Texans regaining a positive identity around the NFL.

He smiles more now than he did when he inherited a franchise in disarray and amongst one of the worst teams in the league.

Caserio’s first two years were riddled with controversy. He dealt with disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson, his trade demands, and his legal issues, which directly affected the Texans’ day-to-day activities.

Caserio, who worked with the former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for nearly two decades, also faced the dilemma of finding a mainstay at that position for Houston.

David Culley and Lovie Smith were both one-and-done coaches, which also led to some negative feedback from the media and fans who believed that the two African Americans were not given ample time to help turn the organization around.

That ideology was proven wrong with the hiring of Ryans, an African American, to a multi-year deal.

Last month at the scouting combine, several team executives hovered in the back of the room when Caserio was at the podium, listening intently to see if they could pick up any pointers from his answers that they could use in the offseason.

With Houston finishing their season as AFC South champions, while dealing with multiple players missing games due to injuries, Caserio had to be doing something right by providing his coaching staff with viable players to fill the void. They needed him to give a glimpse of his strategy, but he did not.

“There has to be a belief and conviction in each other and a trust in one another,” said Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio when I asked him to expound on the “Texans Culture” which was mentioned one day earlier by head coach DeMeco Ryans. #Texans #Sarge @TheTexansWire pic.twitter.com/iDWMkpqBew

— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) February 29, 2024

Ryans and Caserio, along with the influx of young players drafted into the organization, used 2023 to establish the “Texans Culture” and the foundation for the team for many years.

“That’s more mentality or swarm mindset that goes along with a special work ethic and relentless mindset,” Caserio said to Texans Wire last month in Indianapolis when asked about the team’s culture. “You look at those kinds of basic principles and beliefs, and then you put the team first. Do you show up with a relentless mindset each day and work extremely hard to improve and get better? We are focused on being the best version of ourselves each day and then stacking days on top of days and that becomes weeks and months.

“There has to be a belief and conviction in each other and trust in one another. There has to be authenticity that you feel from the team,” said Caserio. “Everybody’s not for us, and we’re not for everybody, and that’s okay. We are comfortable with the players we have in the building. We want to stay disciplined, consistent, and true to what we believe in. Because in the end, we’re going to win or lose with that.”

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Barefield: Three years later, Nick Caserio finally has the Texans in business