Bobby Slowik has spent just two seasons in the coordinator world.
In 2021, Slowik was the San Francisco 49ers’ passing game specialist. The next season Slowik served as passing game coordinator under coach Kyle Shanahan.
Although Slowik’s time near the decision-making on offense has been short, it has been rich in working with rookie quarterbacks. In 2021, the 49ers were transitioning from Jimmy Garoppolo to No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance, who started two games his rookie year. In 2022, Slowik was working with a rookie once more in seventh-rounder Brock Purdy. This work was also concurrent with transitioning completely to Lance after a late-season surge from veteran Jimmy Garoppolo.
While Slowik has his own experiences to draw upon as he gets No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud up to speed, he also leans upon the collective knowledge of his colleagues.
Slowik believes the knowledge he has accumulated has been “fortunate.”
Said Slowik: “I have a lot of connections and people that I’m friends with that I know across the NFL that have been through this process and I’m also fortunate that I went through it really the last two years with Trey and with Brock in a different way, and just getting like the different ways and the different styles guys play, guys learn, they put things together, and the process they have to go through to get to where you envision them getting to and the patience that’s required when you do that, while at the same time like the urgency that’s required when you do that.”
While Slowik does have a bevy of experiences to draw from — whether his own or from his connections — the key is to filter what may be applicable.
“Being able to bounce ideas off guys or have guys tell you their experiences and what they went through and what to watch out for, which may or may not apply to the situation you’re going through, but it’s always beneficial when you have people around you that have been through it,” said Slowik.
The Texans are unique in that they have committed capital to a position that was underperforming the past two seasons. Houston sees Stroud as the answer, not a transition.