When it comes to a history of litigation between prospective employer and prospective employee, the door definitely does not swing both ways. The employer legally cannot hold a grudge; the employee absolutely can.
As explained by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the fact that 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans previously sued the Texans does not diminish his interest in the job.
Some would say that’s obvious given that Ryans has, you know, interviewed for the job. But interviewing for the job and taking it are two different things. Ryans would have to be willing to let bygones be bygones.
It likely won’t be hard for him to put the past behind him. The lawsuit arose from Ryans, a former Texans player, suffering a torn Achilles tendon while playing in Houston as a member of the Eagles. His lawyer sued everyone who was potentially responsible for the conditions that caused the injury, as lawyers often do. The court system then figures out who is, and isn’t, responsible.
The lawsuit obviously resulted in the Texans having no issue with Ryans. An injury case is far less personal and volatile than, say, the lawsuit Brian Flores filed against the Texans last year, claiming that he wasn’t hired to be the head coach in retaliation for the discrimination case he had filed against the NFL several weeks earlier. This year, the Texans did not interview Flores.
The fact that Ryans suffered an injury on an allegedly substandard playing surface and took action over it would make him an attractive option for current and future Texans players. Presumably, his personal history will make him a fierce advocate for the safety of the surfaces on which his players are expected to perform, home and away.