The Houston Texans are adding another member to their defensive staff for the upcoming 2025 season.
According to KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, the Texans plan to hire Toledo defensive line coach Frank Okam as their new assistant defensive line coach.
The #Texans are hiring former Raiders and Panthers assistant Frank Okam as their new assistant DL coach. Per @AaronWilson_NFL pic.twitter.com/yXJ1meTEfi
— Dylan Delgatto (@DDelgattoNFL) February 12, 2025
A former fifth-round pick by the Texans in 2008 out of Texas, Okam, 39, has long-standing connections to head defensive line coach Rod Wright and DeMeco Ryans. Wright was his teammate with the Longhorns from 2004-06, while Ryans, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, was his Houston from 2008-10.
After leaving the Texans in 2010, Okam played for the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers before retiring in 2013. He previously coached defensive lines with the Las Vegas Raiders and Panthers, working with upstanding talents like Raiders All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby and Pro Bowlers Brian Burns and Derrick Brown in Carolina.
#Texans new Ast DL Coach Frank Okam has several ties to Texas.
Okam was drafted by Houston and was teammates with Texans HC DeMeco Ryans (2008-10).
He also played collegiately with the Texas Longhorns and was teammates with Texans DL Coach Rod Wright (2004 & 2005). https://t.co/Y6XLWoeOXd
— TXN (@TXNFootball) February 12, 2025
In 2023 at Toledo, Okam coached first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection Judge Culpepper who led the team with nine sacks. Last season, he worked with Darius Alexander, who finished with 3,5 sacks and eight tackles for loss.
The Texans are expected to be in the market for a new defensive tackle this offseason, so Okam should be primed to work his knowledge with the next name who joins the AFC South franchise.