Cole Thompson, Texans WireWed, January 14, 2026 at 2:15 AM UTC·2 min readCould the Houston Texans be in the market for a new defensive coordinator come this offseason? According to reports, there's a chance he could be on the move this offseason back to a familiar place?
The Arizona Cardinals have requested to interview Matt Burke following the Texans' 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round on Monday night, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.
Burke took over as the full-time play-caller early in the season for DeMeco Ryans after a 2-3 start. Since then, Houston's run has been legendary on the defensive side, drawing comparisons to the 2001 Baltimore Ravens and 2013 Seattle Seahawks' Legion of Boom.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn Monday, Houston allowed under 200 yards of offense and totaled two defensive touchdowns thanks to the pressure of the defensive line. All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. stripped Aaron Rodgers on a sack, resulting in a 32-yard score from Sheldon Rankins. Rodgers was also intercepted by Calen Bullock, who returned it 50 yards for a pick-six in the final two minutes to ice the game.
This season, Burke's defense has led the NFL in total yards (277.2), and finished No. 2 in points per game (17.4). Houston also features one of the league's top red zone defenses and finished with +17 turnover margin.
Burke could elect not take the interview, though he has ties to the Cardinals. Before becoming the defensive coordinator for Houston, the 49-year-old served as Arizona's defensive line coach in 2022.
The Texans take on the New England Patriots on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and ABC.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Cardinals request to interview Texans DC Matt Burke for HC opening
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