Gary Kubiak fired as Houston Texans coach

HOUSTON, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Gary Kubiak has been fired as coach of the Houston Texans, who have lost 11 consecutive games, the NFL team said Friday.

A 27-20 loss Thursday to Jacksonville dropped Houston to an NFL-worst 2-11 record after the team began the season with two wins.

"We felt that a change was needed at the head coach position and Gary Kubiak is no longer the head coach," Texans Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob McNair said Friday.

Wade Phillips was given the duty as interim coach for the final the games of the season. Phillips filled in for Kubiak after Kubiak suffered a "mini-stroke" during a game Nov. 3.

Kubiak missed one game and then coached two from the press box before returning to the sidelines after the health scare.

Kubiak, 52, took over the Texans in January 2006 as the franchise's second coach after Dom Capers. The team advanced to the playoffs twice -- the last two seasons -- and lost in the divisional round each time.

Houston won the AFC South in 2011 and '12 but the 2-11 record in 2013 dropped Kubiak to 61-64 as a coach.