DeMeco Ryans entered his postgame press conference with a heavy heart. His best friend and former Texans teammate Earl Cochran had died on October 31.
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Nov 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during the first half against the Denver Broncos at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Houston Texans head coach opened by deflecting credit for the Week 10 victory over Jacksonville. “It’s not about us and praising us for what we do. It’s all glory to God,” Ryans told reporters on November 9.
The Texans rallied from behind to beat the Jaguars, completing one of the two largest comebacks in franchise history. Ryans knew Cochran was “smiling down” and “proud.” But the third year head coach also delivered a clear message about what the team had been missing.
Ryans leaned into boxing imagery throughout his media session. He revealed he had told the team the night before that they were entering a “heavyweight fight.” Texans linebacker and team captain Azeez Al-Shaair later disclosed that Ryans showed the squad an old boxing match on Saturday night.
“The key for our entire game today is, you know, no one blinked,” Ryanstold reporters. “I didn’t want anybody to blink. I wanted everybody to continue to press forward, to keep punching, right?”
“Everything that could go wrong went wrong as soon as the game started. And so, for us to battle and have that resilience, that’s what good football looks like. That’s what we’ve been missing.”
Ryansviewed the game as a mirror of life. Bad things happen. You can’t hang your head, run, hide, quit, or give up. You keep punching. On the field and in life, it’s the same.
The comeback marked Houston’s first victory in a one-score game this season. They entered Week 11 against Tennessee at 1-5 in such situations. Ryans emphasized staying together regardless of the scoreboard and finishing with the knockout punch needed to secure the win.
DeMeco Ryans Honors Former Teammate Earl Cochran
Ryans reflected on Cochran during his press conference. The two grew up together in Alabama before becoming teammates in Houston. “Just a standup guy. Close friend. Loving. Caring. Big heart. Give the shirt off his back to anybody,” Ryans said. “He just treated people the right way. Loved people. Always had a big smile. Big heart. Very wise.”
Cochran joined the Texans as an undrafted free agent from Alabama State in 2006. He played three seasons with the organization through 2008. Cochran later worked as a defensive line coach at Prairie View A&M before his death.