Kubiak runs hometown Texans with class, dignity

After leading his team to its first division title and playoff win, Gary Kubiak has brought the Texans out of the NFL shadows. After leading his team to its first division title and playoff win, Gary Kubiak has brought the Texans out of the NFL shadows. Photo: Karen Warren Photo: Karen Warren Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Kubiak runs hometown Texans with class, dignity 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

On a clear, comfortable Saturday morning, a few hours before the first NFL playoff game in Houston in 18 years, Texans coach Gary Kubiak visited the gravesite of his father, Alfred.

"I went by the cemetery to talk to my dad," Kubiak said. "When I got there, I told him, 'Dad, I can't believe we're finally here. We've got a playoff game today.' I know he was listening.

"My dad loved this city. He grew up here and worked here, and when I came home to coach, he was very proud of me. Saturday was a proud day for him, too."

When the Texans defeated Cincinnati 31-10 in the wild-card game before a record crowd at Reliant Stadium, it gave Houston fans their first playoff victory in 20 years.

No one has to remind Kubiak, a former ball boy for Bum Phillips' Luv Ya Blue Oilers, what having a winning team means to the city and its rabid football fans.

"I have great passion for this game, especially doing it here," Kubiak said. "I grew up about eight miles down the road. Seeing the energy and excitement in the city and at the stadium made me so proud."

Big challenge ahead

Now Kubiak and the Texans stand on the precipice of accomplishing something few outside their locker room believe they can do - upset the Ravens in Sunday's divisional playoff game in Baltimore.

The Ravens won the AFC North with a 12-4 record, including 8-0 at M&T Bank Stadium. If the Texans shock the nation, Kubiak will lead them into the AFC Championship Game.

"Winning a Super Bowl for this city and this organization means everything to Gary," said general manager Rick Smith, who won two Super Bowl rings with Kubiak in Denver. "Gary loves the city. He takes a lot of pride in growing up here. He loves the people. It's where his family is. All that just adds to the significance of it."

Only a year ago, Kubiak endured a 6-10 season that caused a lot of fans and members of the media to call for his firing.

"When I heard that speculation last season, I couldn't believe it," Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said this week. "I knew they had most of the pieces to the puzzle but not all the pieces."

Shanahan, Denver's head coach when Kubiak was the Broncos' offensive coordinator, recommended Kubiak to owner Bob McNair and didn't want to see him fired.

"They had worked so hard to put it together the right way, and they were close, and if they did do that, I knew it would be a big mistake, one they would regret," Shanahan said. "But Mr. McNair was smart enough to keep it together, and you see what's happened."

McNair is expected to reward Kubiak and Smith with extensions. Their contracts expire after the 2012 season.

Lessons from dad

Kubiak has handled winning the same way he handled losing - with class and dignity. That's the way he was brought up. Life is full of "chicken and feathers," his father, who died in July 2010, used to tell him.

"He meant you have to deal with good and bad," Kubiak said. "My old man taught me that when things aren't going well, it doesn't mean you're not doing a good job. When things are going really well, I think you have to be humble in your approach."

The Texans have a franchise-best 11-6 record. They had a team-record seven-game winning streak. They won the AFC South for the first time.

But Kubiak hasn't changed. He's been to six Super Bowls as a player and coach with Denver and San Francisco, and he earned three rings, but he's still as genuine as the awe-shucks kid who went to St. Pius High School and became one of the state's best quarterbacks.

"You want to play your heart out for him," said receiver Kevin Walter, who's in his sixth season playing for Kubiak. "He's a coach you respect. He treats us like men, and you want to win for him."

Losing players like quarterback Matt Schaub and outside linebacker Mario Williams to season-ending injuries and not having receiver Andre Johnson for nine games because of hamstring injuries hasn't detoured the Texans from their goal.

"That's the story of our season, so many players getting significant injuries," offensive tackle Duane Brown said. "The philosophy coach Kubiak has taught us is for everyone to be accountable. Even the guys not starting prepare like they are, and that's really helped us."

No player has benefited more from Kubiak's coaching than Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster. Smith signed him as an undrafted rookie in 2009. He worked his way up from special teams to become one of the NFL's premier running backs.

Foster, who wears No. 23, carried 24 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns in the playoff victory over Cincinnati.

"Kube taught me how to be a professional," Foster said. "When you come into the NFL, you think you know a lot, but you really don't. He showed me how to take my game to the next level.

"He pushes me because he has high expectations for me. I want to meet those expectations. I don't want to disappoint him."

Good game plan

And Kubiak doesn't want to disappoint his team and his city.

"You know, I've been lucky as hell," he said. "Hopefully, I can keep it intact for a while."

On Sunday morning, Kubiak won't be able to make another trip to the cemetery before the Texans play the biggest game in franchise history.

When asked what advice his father might have for him before the Baltimore game, Kubiak thought a few seconds, then smiled before heading to a team meeting.

"I think he'd say something like, 'Boy, keep playing that great defense, and don't stop feeding the ball to number 23."

john.mcclain@chron.com twitter.com/mcclain_on_nfl