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Gary Kubiak returned to his hometown of Houston on Jan. 26, 2006, becoming the second head coach in the history of the Houston Texans.

In just three seasons at the helm, Kubiak has become the winningest head coach in Texans history with 22 career victories, including the two best seasons in team history. One of Kubiak’s primary goals upon arriving in Houston was to create a home field advantage at Reliant Stadium, and he has made great strides in that direction. The Texans have posted a 16-8 home record since 2006, including 6-2 marks in both of the last two seasons.

The 2008 Texans matched their record from the year before, going 8-8 for a second consecutive season despite an 0-4 start in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, which devastated much of Houston and southeast Texas. Houston became just the 10th team in NFL history to start a year 0-4 and finish with at or above .500. The Texans were one of 11 teams to go 8-4 or better over the last 12 games; nine of those teams were in the playoffs. The offense enjoyed its most productive season, ranking third in the NFL and setting a franchise record with 6,113 total yards.   

The previous season, Kubiak saw his team achieve the best record in franchise history at 8-8. The Texans won three of their last four and five of their last seven to finish the season at .500. Closing the season strong has become a hallmark of Kubiak’s teams. In his three seasons in Houston, the Texans are a combined 10-5 in the month of December.

In 2006, Kubiak tripled the team’s win total of the previous year, guiding the club to a 6-10 record. The six victories included victories in three of the last five games of the season and the franchise’s first-ever victory over Indianapolis. Six victories were the second-most in franchise history. Each came versus an AFC opponent, giving the Texans their most victories over conference foes in team annals.

Kubiak came to Houston with the reputation of being an offensive mastermind and has lived up to that billing in his first three years with the team. In 48 games under Kubiak, Houston has averaged 331.6 yards per game compared to an average 266.5 yards per game from 2002-05. The scoring average under Kubiak also has risen by nearly five points versus prior to his arrival.

The most dramatic improvement has been made by the offensive line. After giving up a league-worst 68 sacks in 2005, the line has allowed an average of 32.3 per season under Kubiak. This has allowed the passing game to flourish, averaging more than 60 yards per game better than in the franchise’s first four years. The line also allowed the Texans' rushing attack to average 106.6 yards per game over the last three years.

Kubiak has made a habit of surrounding himself with great coaches throughout his tenure in Houston. One of his first hires in 2006 was former Green Bay head coach Mike Sherman, who served as the assistant head coach/offense and then offensive coordinator in Kubiak’s first two seasons. In 2008, Kubiak bolstered his staff with two of the brightest minds in football, hiring venerable offensive line guru Alex Gibbs as the assistant head coach/offense and 1995 NFL Coach of the Year Ray Rhodes as the assistant defensive backs coach. Rhodes now serves as the team's senior defensive assistant.

As head coach, Kubiak also has been responsible for the performance of the defense. Stocked with young talent such as the All-Pro combo of linebacker DeMeco Ryans and defensive end Mario Williams plus franchise cornerback Dunta Robinson, the defense is poised to become one of the league’s best under new defensive coordinator Frank Bush. Bush advocates an aggressive, attacking philosophy, which promises to increase the number of turnovers created.

Williams and Ryans were the first two draft picks of the Kubiak era, and they set the tone for what is becoming an excellent track record on draft day. Along with Ryans and Williams, tight end Owen Daniels gave the Texans a league-best three Pro Bowlers from the 2006 draft class. Right tackle Eric Winston also has emerged as a starter from that class. The 2006 class has started a total of 192 combined games for the Texans in their first three seasons.

The Texans’ 2007 draft class was led by defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, the youngest first-round draft pick in NFL history, and cornerback Fred Bennett, who led the team in interceptions as a rookie. In 2008, first-round pick Duane Brown started all 16 games at left tackle, while running back Steve Slaton won the rookie rushing title with a franchise-record 1,282 yards.

Kubiak spent 20 of the previous 23 years in the Denver area, where he earned a reputation as a brilliant offensive mastermind. He played for the Broncos from 1983-91 as the backup for Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. Kubiak played in 119 games during his career and tossed 14 touchdowns in that span. During his time as a player in the Mile High City, he was a part of three teams that reached the Super Bowl.

Kubiak began his coaching career in 1992-93 as the running backs coach at his alma mater Texas A&M. Under Kubiak’s watchful eye, running back Greg Hill was named second team All-America his junior year. Hill was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1994 draft.
 
Kubiak started his NFL coaching career with the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. As quarterbacks coach, he guided Hall of Famer Steve Young to his best season as a pro. Young was named the NFL MVP for the second time in his career.

Under Kubiak’s tutelage, Young had a career high 70.3 completion percentage. He threw 35 touchdowns, passed for 3,969 yards and set an NFL record with a 112.8 passer rating, a mark that would stand for 10 seasons. Young captured Super Bowl XXIX MVP honors by tossing a record six touchdowns in San Francisco’s 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers.

In the spring of 1995, Kubiak returned to the Broncos as offensive coordinator, where he would steer Denver to the organization’s best numbers in team history and help lead the team to seven postseason trips and two Super Bowl titles in 11 seasons.

Kubiak began his tenure in Denver as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach to his former teammate, Elway. Kubiak made an immediate impact as Elway threw for 3,970 yards, the second-best mark of his Hall of Fame career. Elway increased his touchdown passes from 16 in 1994 to 26 in 1995. During the final four years of his career (1995-98), Elway tossed 101 touchdown passes, second only to Brett Favre in that span.

Kubiak’s offense featured one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Shannon Sharpe, the NFL’s leader among tights ends in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, spent seven years under Kubiak. Sharpe averaged 61 receptions and had the most yards receiving with 1,107 yards in 1997.

Kubiak’s offenses always have been based on balance. The Broncos’ running game focused around a strong system instead of an individual. Broncos runners topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark 10 seasons out of 11 during Kubiak's tenure. Denver saw five different runners rush for more than 1,000 yards, more than any team in the NFL over that 11-year period.

Kubiak turned to Terrell Davis to tote the ball as the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in the late ‘90s. In 1997, Davis became only the fourth running back in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards. During the 1997-98 seasons, he rushed for 3,758 yards, most of any running back in back-to-back campaigns between 1995-2005. Davis’ 2,008 rushing yards are the fourth-highest single-season total in NFL history. He won AP Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1996 and 1998.

Following Elway’s retirement, Kubiak turned his offense over to second-year quarterback Brian Griese, who threw for 3,032 yards in his first season as the Broncos’ starter. In the 2000 season, Griese guided the Broncos’ offense to rank second in the NFL in points scored and total offense. He was named to the Pro Bowl that season.

That same season Mike Anderson rushed for 1,487 yards, a Bronco record for a rookie. Anderson set the NFL single-game rookie rushing record with 251 yards against the New Orleans Saints. That year, Kubiak’s receivers Ed McCaffrey (101) and Rod Smith (100) became just the second pair of teammates in NFL history to grab at least 100 receptions.

In 2002, the Broncos drafted running back Clinton Portis in the second round. In his rookie season, Portis rushed for 1,508 yards, breaking Anderson’s rookie mark, and was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Broncos’ rushing attack averaged 141.6 yards per game, which ranked second in the AFC. The offense totaled 380.6 yards per game, which was third in the NFL.

Kubiak relinquished his quarterbacks coach title in 2003, turning the duties over to Pat McPherson. That offseason, Denver signed quarterback Jake Plummer from the Arizona Cardinals and Plummer was immediately transformed. Despite missing five games his first season in Denver, Plummer threw for more touchdowns (15) than interceptions (7) for the second time in his career. The 2004 season saw Plummer throw for 4,089 yards, most in Broncos history. He also tossed 27 touchdown passes, tying Elway’s 1997 club record.

Plummer stayed on his feet in Kubiak’s offense. After being sacked an average of 36 times per season in Arizona, Plummer was sacked an average of 17 times per year in Denver. Every season in Kubiak’s system, Plummer threw more touchdowns than interceptions and led the Broncos to the playoffs from 2003-05.

In 2005, Kubiak’s offense ranked fifth in the NFL with 5,766 total yards. His rushing attack was second in the league, averaging 158.7 yards per game. The Broncos were led by Anderson’s 1,014 yards on the ground and Tatum Bell’s 921 yards. Denver finished 2005 with a 13-3 record, winning their division for the first time since 1998, the last time they appeared in the Super Bowl.

In the 11 years with Kubiak as offensive coordinator, the Broncos amassed 66,501 total yards and 465 touchdowns, most in the NFL in that span. Kubiak has coached 14 different Broncos that made the Pro Bowl. Denver’s rushing attack has totaled 25,022 yards, most in the NFL over the last 11 seasons.

Kubiak’s return to Houston was a return to his roots. He starred at St. Pius X High School, where he was an all-state selection, passing for 6,190 yards during his high school career. He was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame in 1999.

Kubiak attended Texas A&M, where he was selected All-Southwest Conference in 1982. He led the conference in attempts (324), completions (181), percentage (55.9) yardage (1,948), touchdowns (19), and total offense (1,885) as a senior. He set the SWC touchdown record with six against Rice during his junior season. He received his degree in Physical Education before being drafted by the Broncos in the eighth round (197th overall) in the 1983 draft.

Kubiak, born in Houston, is married to Rhonda. The couple has three sons: Klint, Klay, and Klein. Klint currently is a senior defensive back and Klay is a sophomore quarterback at Colorado State, while Klein is a freshman wide receiver at Rice.

KUBIAK’S COACHING LEDGER
2006-10: Head Coach, Houston Texans
2003-05: Offensive Coordinator, Denver Broncos
1995-02: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks, Denver Broncos
1994: Quarterbacks, San Francisco 49ers
1992-93: Running Backs, Texas A&M