DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans has been chosen as the NFL Coach of the Year for the 2023 season by the Pro Football Writers of America.

Ryans won the award in his first season as a head coach. The Texans hired Ryans, who was the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator, after Houston posted a 3-13-1 record in the 2022 season.

Ryans won the PFWA NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award last season.

Ryans led the Texans to a 10-7 record after Houston had won 11 games in the previous three seasons under four coaches.

The Texans made NFL history with their showing. Houston became the first team to win a division title with a first-year head coach and a rookie quarterback – C.J. Stroud, the second selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Texans’ season ended on Saturday in a 34-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL playoffs. Houston defeated the Cleveland Browns 45-14 in the first round of the AFC postseason.

RELATED: DEMECO RYANS’ COACHING STYLE: ‘POSITIVE, UPBEAT ENERGY’

Ryans was an All-State linebacker at Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer in 2001.

At Alabama, Ryans was an unanimous All-American, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the winner of the Lott IMPACT Trophy for the 2005 season as a senior. He capped his college career as the Defensive MVP of the 2006 Cotton Bowl in Alabama’s 13-10 victory over Texas Tech.

Ryans had a 10-year NFL career as a middle linebacker. He won the PFWA NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2006 and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection for the Texans.

Ryans follows another coach with an Alabama connection as the PFWA award winner. The Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator in 2017, Brian Daboll of the New York Giants won the organization’s NFL Coach of the Year Award for the 2022 season.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.