There are too many Texans-49ers connections to list here but I will remind you that Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and Defensive Coordinator Demeco Ryans used to work here. So did linebackers coach Johnny Holland.
Numerous other former 49er staffers who worked under Shanahan, like Rob Saleh who left to coach the Jets last year, also used to get their W-2s here.
The most memorable preseason tilt between these two squads happened at Candlestick Park in 2011 (Fun Fact – The Beatles' last concert was played at Candlestick Park in 1966. OK, back to our regularly schedule programming). It was Jim Harbaugh's first year. Both teams were on the verge of terrific seasons and the Texans dominated the game 30-7.
That 49er team also had strong former Texans representation. I talked with Greg Roman, a former Houston assistant who was taking over the OC role, after the game and said something like 'rough night.' He said "yeah but we'll be alright."
He was correct. San Francisco made it to the NFC Championship game that year. Original Texans Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio was on that staff, reentering the league after serving under Harbaugh at Stanford.
Shanahan has had an interesting run in the Bay Area. He's coached five seasons yet only had two winning campaigns. Keep in mind that the winning seasons yielded a Super Bowl appearance and an NFC title game appearance last season.
This is one of the best teams in the league and no matter who plays it'll be great work for Lovie Smith's squad as he coaches the final preseason affair before a 17-day break that leads up to opening day.
This contest wraps up a competitive preseason slate. All three teams are deep and had winning records last year. The Rams and 49ers met in the NFC Championship game and the Saints were 9-8.
Smith wants to play his front line players for a big chunk of the game. Different teams are handling the three game format in different ways. Some are treating this third game like the fourth game used to be handled – not playing starters. But Smith wants to get his squad in rhythm then get them as fresh as possible before the Colts come calling on September 11.
Don't forget that while the game is on Amazon it's also on Fox 26. And, as always, on Sports Radio 610, The Bull 100.3 FM and The Texans and Audacy Apps.
Check out the top photos from Training Camp presented by Xfinity.
An image from the Aug. 9, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 17, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 7, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 13, 2022 Houston Texans Rookie Minicamp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 9, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 9, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 7, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 16, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 9, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 16, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 9, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the May 13, 2022 Houston Texans Rookie Minicamp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 11, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 7, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 7, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 10, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 11, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 16, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice.
An Aug. 3, 2022 image from Day 5 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 4 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 9, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 10, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 10, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
An Aug. 2, 2022 image from Day 3 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 5, 2022 Texans Training Camp practice.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 10, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 23, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp Practice.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 20, 2022 image from Day 1 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
A July 30, 2022 image from Day 2 of the Houston Texans Training Camp at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 22, 2022 Houston Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the Aug. 10, 2022 Houston Texans Training Camp practice.
An image from the Aug. 6, 2022 Texans training camp practice at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
