DeMeco Ryans facts for kids
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Ryans in 2010
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| Houston Texans | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Head coach | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | July 28, 1984 Bessemer, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 247 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Jess Lanier (Bessemer) | ||||||||||
| College: | Alabama (2002–2005) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||||
| Regular season: | 20–14 (.588) | ||||||||||
| Postseason: | 2–2 (.500) | ||||||||||
| Career: | 22–16 (.579) | ||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
| Coaching stats at PFR | |||||||||||
DeMeco Ryans (/dɪˈmiːkoʊ/ dih-MEE-koh; born July 28, 1984) is an American football coach and former linebacker. He is currently the head coach for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL).
Ryans played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He was named an All-American in 2005. The Texans picked him in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. He was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. Ryans played in two Pro Bowl games. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012 and played there for four seasons before he retired.
After his playing career, Ryans joined the San Francisco 49ers as a coaching assistant in 2017. He coached the inside linebackers from 2018 to 2020. In 2021, he became their defensive coordinator. In 2023, Ryans was hired as the head coach for the Houston Texans. He led the team to the playoffs in his first season.
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Early Life and High School Football
DeMeco Ryans was born in Bessemer, Alabama. He went to Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer. There, he played high school football. In his final year of high school, Ryans made 135 tackles and 11 sacks. He also forced two fumbles and caught two interceptions. Experts thought he was one of the top inside linebacker players in the country. He chose to play college football at the University of Alabama.
College Football Career
Ryans played outside linebacker for the University of Alabama from 2002 to 2005. In his first year, he played on special teams and as a backup linebacker. He got better every year in college. In 2005, he was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the SEC. He said his defensive coordinator, Joe Kines, helped him a lot.
Ryans was named the defensive MVP of the 2006 Cotton Bowl Classic. Alabama won that game 13–10 against Texas Tech. After his senior year, Ryans won the Lott Trophy. This award is for players who are excellent in sports and also do well off the field. He was also recognized as a unanimous All-American.
Professional Football Career
Playing for the Houston Texans
The Houston Texans picked DeMeco Ryans in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. He was the 33rd player chosen overall. Even though he played outside linebacker in college, he became the starting middle linebacker for the Texans. This was because he played very well in the preseason.
In his first NFL game, Ryans made 12 solo tackles. This was the most in the league that week. He had a big impact as a rookie. He led the Texans in tackles during the first half of the 2006 season. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 13. In that game, he made 15 tackles, had a sack, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and caught an interception.
Ryans was named the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He finished second in the league with 155 total tackles. He was also named to the NFL All-Rookie Team. In 2007 and 2009, Ryans was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl. On March 30, 2010, he signed a new contract with the Texans.
Playing for the Philadelphia Eagles
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On March 20, 2012, Ryans was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He immediately became the team's starting middle linebacker. Even though the Eagles had a tough season, Ryans played well. He led the team with 113 tackles and also had a sack and an interception.
In 2013, Ryans played even better. He led the team in tackles again with 127. He also had his best year for sacks (4.0) and interceptions (2). In a playoff game on January 4, 2014, he made 10 tackles and caught his first playoff interception.
On November 3, 2014, Ryans got a serious injury to his Achilles tendon. This ended his season. The Eagles released him on February 24, 2016.
Coaching Career
Coaching for the San Francisco 49ers
On February 28, 2017, Ryans started his coaching career with the San Francisco 49ers. He was a defensive quality control coach. In 2018, he was promoted to coach the inside linebackers. On January 18, 2021, Ryans became the defensive coordinator for the 49ers.
The 49ers defense played very well under Ryans in 2021. He was considered for the head coach job at the Minnesota Vikings, but he decided to stay with the 49ers. In 2022, Ryans' defense was one of the best in the NFL. Because of his great work, Ryans was named the PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year.
Coaching for the Houston Texans
On January 31, 2023, Ryans was hired as the head coach of the Houston Texans. This was the same team he started his professional playing career with. He signed a six-year contract.
The Texans started the 2023 season by losing their first two games. But under Ryans' leadership, the team improved a lot. They finished the season with a 10–7 record and won the AFC South division. They made it to the playoffs! The Texans beat the Cleveland Browns 45–14 in the Wild Card Round. This was their first playoff win since 2019. Their season ended with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round.
In the 2024 season, Ryans led the Texans to another 10–7 record, winning the AFC South again. They defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32–12 in the Wild Card Round. Their season concluded with a 23–14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. Ryans became the fastest coach in Texans history to win 20 games.
Personal Life
DeMeco Ryans is married to Jamila, and they have three children: MJ, Micah, and Xia. He is a Christian and attends the Bessemer 24th church of Christ.
Images for kids
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Ryans in 2010
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Ryans celebrating during a game in 2012
