30 best NFL head coaching hires of the 21st century

We’ll kick this thing off with one of the most underrated and overlooked current NFL head coaches. Bill O’Brien may not have any Super Bowls or even that many playoff appearances under his belt, but the Houston Texans’ decision to hire him was an excellent one.

Hailing from Penn State, O’Brien was a star head coach for the Nittany Lions before taking his talents to the league. He helped the program survive the Jerry Sandusky disaster, turning a school struggling with its own identity and scholarship issues into a powerhouse in seemingly no time at all.

The process hasn’t been as smooth in Houston, but O’Brien hadn’t had the necessary pieces prior to this season. Especially in 2017, everything seemed to be coming into focus, until the Texans lost both Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt to injury. With them both back in the mix though, O’Brien is watching his club flourish.

Right now, No. 30 seems like a fitting spot. O’Brien only has a 38-36 record as the Texans’ head coach, which is far from awe-inspiring. However, he’s quietly helped turn this team’s fortunes around and has them looking like a potential threat in the foreseeable future.

In terms of his overall potential as a coach and leader, O’Brien was a terrific hire for Houston.