Texans likely to keep Bill O'Brien as head coach, sources say

Bill O'Brien is likely to be back next season asHouston Texans head coach, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

There has been much speculation about O'Brien's future in Houston, with the Texans struggling through a 4-11 season after winning back-to-back AFC South titles in 2015 and 2016. Although his return is likely, sources said there still are issues to be discussed and hashed out with his contract.

O'Brien has one season remaining on a five-year deal he signed when he became the Texans' coach in 2014. It is unlikely the team would allow him to coach next season without signing him to a contract extension in the offseason.

Earlier this month, O'Brien said that he "will never quit as head football coach of the Houston Texans. Ever."

The Texans, who play at the Indianapolis Colts in their season finale on Sunday, are 1-6 since rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson tore the ACL in his right knee in early November.

Watson already has voiced his support for O'Brien.

"That's out of my control, but I would love to have Coach O'Brien with me," Watson said earlier this month. "We have a great relationship. Ever since the draft process, we've been communicating. We talk football, we talk about life. And we have a lot things that kind of relate, the way we were both raised up. So we kind of connected [and have] been ever since."

Information from ESPN's Sarah Barshop was used in this report.