Coaches | Houston Texans - HoustonTexans.com

Chris Strausser was hired as the Houston Texans offensive line coach in 2023, bringing 34 years of coaching experience to the club. Strausser has spent the past four seasons (2019-22) in the AFC South division working for the Indianapolis Colts in a similar role.

Chris Strausser was hired as the Houston Texans offensive line coach in 2023, bringing 34 years of coaching experience to the club. Strausser has spent the past four seasons (2019-22) in the AFC South division working for the Indianapolis Colts in a similar role.

During the 2022 season, Strausser oversaw an offensive line that sent OL Quenton Nelson to his fifth-consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and helped OL Braden Smith received a 75.5 overall blocking grade on Pro Football Focus, which was good for No. 21 among all NFL linemen (min. 1,000 snaps).

In 2021, Strausser led an offensive line unit that sent Nelson and OL Ryan Kelly to the Pro Bowl, marking the first time the Colts sent two offensive linemen to three consecutive Pro Bowls since 1987-89. Indianapolis' offense ranked second in rushing yards per game (149.4), tied for ninth in points per game (26.5) and tied for the ninth-fewest sacks allowed in the NFL. The 2021 season also marked the first time the Colts had a 1,000-yard rusher (Jonathan Taylor – 1,811) and 1,000-yard receiver (Michael Pittman, Jr. – 1,092) in the same season since 2016. Behind the Colts offensive line, Taylor had one of the best rushing seasons in team history, running for 1,811 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. He became the third player ever with a rushing touchdown in at least 11 consecutive games within a single season.

The 2020 offensive line unit tied for the second-fewest sacks allowed in the NFL, while also paving the way for Taylor to become the fifth rookie in franchise history to register over 1,000 yards rushing. Additionally, Nelson and Kelly earned first-team and second-team AP All-Pros honors respectively, the first time two Colts offensive lineman have earned that honor since 1988.

In Strausser's first season in Indianapolis (2019), he worked with an offensive line that started the same five players for the entire season, becoming the only team in the NFL to do so.The Colts rushing attack averaged 4.52 yards per carry, which was the fifth-highest single-season total in franchise history. RB Marlon Mack finished with the 11th-most rushing yards in the NFL, becoming the first Colts player to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark since 2016.

Before joining the Colts, Strausser spent two years (2017-18) with the Denver Broncos, serving as the tackles coach (2018) and assistant offensive line coach (2017). While in Denver, Strausser played a major role in the development of OL Garrett Boles, who was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after becoming the fifth rookie in franchise history to start every game at left tackle.

Strausser coached at the collegiate level for 28 seasons before joining the Broncos staff, making major Division I stops at the University of Washington (2014-16), Boise State University (2001-05, 2007-13), Colorado University (2006), San Jose State (1995-96) and Oregon State (1990-91), while also coaching at several non-FBS schools such as Portland State (1993-94, 2000), Foothill College (1997-99) Sonoma State (1992) and Menlo College (1989).

Strausser followed Chris Petersen to Washington from Boise State, where the Huskies posted a 25-14 record, highlighted by a 12-2 record in 2016. The 2016 Huskies ground attack was led by Myles Gaskin, who rushed for 1,373 yards and 10 touchdowns behind a Strausser-led offensive line. At Boise State, Strausser helped convert OL Matt Paradis from a defensive lineman to become a second-team All-Mountain West Conference selection in 2012 and 2013. Paradis went on to be selected by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round (207th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Strausser graduated from Chico State University in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and earned a master's in education from Oregon State in 1991. He and his wife, Cathy, have two daughters, Maeve and Sarah.

COACHING CAREER

2023                    Offensive Line                                                               Houston Texans

2019-22              Offensive Line                                                              Indianapolis Colts

2018                    Offensive Line - Tackles                                             Denver Broncos

2017                    Assistant Offensive Line                                             Denver Broncos

2014-16              Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line                    University of Washington

2012-13              Associate Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator/OL            Boise State University

2010-11              Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line                  Boise State University

2007-09              Run Game Coordinator/Tight Ends                         Boise State University

2006                    Assistant Head Coach/OL/Run Game Coordinator             Colorado University

2003-05              Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line                     Boise State University

2001-02              Offensive Line                                                               Boise State University

2000                    Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator                  Portland State

1997-99              Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator                  Foothill College

1995-96              Offensive Line                                                               San Jose State

1993-94              Offensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator                   Portland State

1992                    Offensive Tackles/Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator                            Sonoma State

1990-91              Graduate Assistant                                                      Oregon State

1989                    Wide Receivers/Tight Ends                                        Menlo College