After nearly 40 seasons of coaching in the NFL, 74-year-old Romeo Crenell has announced retirement.

HOUSTON – Longtime NFL coach Romeo Krennell announced his retirement on Monday after 50 years of coaching.

Krennell, 74, coached 39 seasons in the NFL, including as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. He also served as interim head coach for the Houston Texans in 2020.

That season, at age 73, Krennell became the oldest person in NFL history to serve as a head coach in a game, a record previously held by former Chicago Bears coach/owner and NFL co-founder George Halas. Crennel ended his career by scoring 32-63 as head coach.

“Football has been my whole life and has been a coach’s dream come true for 50 years,” Krennell said in a statement. “…I will miss everything related to coaching and teaching, but the thing I will miss the most is being around the players every day. My goal was to put every player and coach in the best position to succeed, and I consider everyone I coached or worked with as a part of my family.”

Among his former players, JJ Wattwho played seven seasons with Crennel in Houston, took to Twitter to express his high praise for the coach.

The ultimate game legend and even the best guy. https://t.co/eaHtpAmFTE

– JJWatt 6 June 2022

Crennel spent his last eight years in the NFL with the Texans. During the 2021 season, Crennel was Houston’s senior football performance advisor.

He was one of the most highly regarded assistant coaches in NFL history, winning five of the six Super Bowls he’s appeared in – two with the New York Giants and three with the New England Patriots.

In 2020, Pro Football Writers of America Crennel awarded the 2020 Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award for his lifetime achievement as an assistant coach.

“My family and the entire Houston Texan organization would like to congratulate Romeo Crinnell on his historic coaching career,” Cal McNair, Texas President and CEO, said in a statement. “After 50 seasons, Romeo is retiring as one of the most respected figures in NFL history. His impressive resume and contributions to the game of football will be hard to replicate.

“Our organization is better because of Romeo Crinell in many ways. He will always be from Texas and we wish him, his wife Rosemary and his family only the very best in all that retirement brings.”