Reuters

Texans owner Bob McNair said immediately after firing Gary Kubiak that former Bears head coach Lovie Smith would be a candidate to become Houston’s next coach, and McNair has acted quickly in talking to Smith.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that Smith interviewed with the Texans this week.

Smith would make a lot of sense in Houston: McNair has said he wants an experienced NFL head coach, and Smith had success in Chicago, winning the NFC North three times and reaching the Super Bowl once. Smith was fired at the end of last season and has spent this year out of coaching.

By acting quickly to interview Smith, McNair may have given his team a leg up on other teams that will consider Smith for head-coaching vacancies in the offseason. The interview also means the Texans have complied with the Rooney Rule, which requires every team to interview at least one minority for any head-coaching vacancy.

Other candidates for the Texans job include their current interim head coach, Wade Phillips, as well as Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien and Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.