HOUSTON -- A day after a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, coach Bill O'Brien was asked whether he would choose to leave the Texans after this season.
He replied emphatically, "I will never quit as the head football coach of the Houston Texans. Ever."
"I'll never resign as the head football coach of the Houston Texans."
O'Brien has one season remaining on the five-year contract he signed when he became the Texans' coach in 2014. It is unlikely the team would allow him to coach next season without signing him to a contract extension in the offseason. A week ago, O'Brien said his agent had not heard from owner Bob McNair about an extension. On Monday he said he has "no control over that."
"That's up to Bob [McNair]. That's not up to me," O'Brien said. "I don't get into the hopeful. I don't get into that. That's up to one guy."
The Texans are 1-6 since rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his ACL in early November, and the offense has struggled since. After three seasons in which the Texans finished 9-7, Houston is guaranteed a losing season.
Last week, O'Brien said, "I enjoy being the head coach of the Houston Texans."
"I have great relationships with these players here, and I'm going to continue to coach hard until they tell me I'm not coaching here anymore," O'Brien said.
Under O'Brien, the Texans are 31-31 in the regular season and 1-2 in three playoff games. The Texans won back-to-back AFC South titles in 2015-16 before falling to 4-10 this season.