(L-R) Scott, Homer and Bryce Drew. (Photo courtesy of Valparaiso University)
THIS IS THE GET IN THE GAME PODCAST
WITH SCOTT LINEBRINK
When it comes to the Drews, basketball is in their blood. You’d be hard-pressed to find a family with more years of coaching experience than Homer Drew and his sons, Scott and Bryce.
Homer coached for 41 years at a number of schools, including a long stint at Valparaiso University from 1988-2011, aside from the 2002-03 season when Scott served as head coach. It was there that, in 1998, Homer led the 13th-seeded Crusaders to their first-ever Sweet 16 appearance, a run that included one of the signature moments in NCAA Tournament history when Bryce hit a buzzer-beater to knock off fourth-seeded Ole Miss in the opening round.
Scott spent nine seasons as an assistant at Valparaiso before taking over as head coach and winning the regular-season conference title. He then took over as head coach of Baylor University, where he won the 2021 NCAA championship and has been named the Big 12 Coach of the Year three times.
Homer came out of retirement to return as head coach at Valparaiso until he handed over the job to Bryce in 2011. Bryce remained in that job until becoming the head coach at Vanderbilt University in 2016. He now serves as the head coach at Grand Canyon University, where in 2021 he guided the program to its first Western Athletic Conference regular season and conference championships, and thus its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Faith has guided all three of them in their coaching careers, and their relationship with Scott Linebrink goes back to the days at Valparaiso. They join Scott this week on “Get in the Game” to reflect on their careers, the joy they get in coaching, and how they try to reflect God in their careers.
Tony Dungy in September 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE, FEATURING TONY DUNGY
Tony Dungy is a former NFL player and coach who currently is an NFL analyst with NBC Sports. During his playing career, he was a part of the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl-winning team. As a coach, he led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl championship in 2006, becoming the first Black head coach to ever win a Super Bowl.
Today on the podcast, Tony Dungy joins Matt Forte to discuss coaching in the playoffs, memories from winning a Super Bowl 19 years ago, and the importance of speaking up against religious persecution.
In Kansas City this morning and I walked to the church we attended when we lived here in 1990. I was listening to the @GFCFlorida service and the message was on “Waiting”. It was so powerful-I thought of so many blessings I’ve received in the 2nd half of my life. Pastor Daryl… pic.twitter.com/dqEqToTDXG
THIS IS THE GET IN THE GAME PODCAST
WITH SCOTT LINEBRINK
Our guest today is Matt Hasselbeck, the former Pro Bowl quarterback who played 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
Matt joins Scott Linebrink on the podcast to talk about the current landscape of the NFL playoffs, what it means to follow Jesus and serve others, and his thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks being one game away from the Super Bowl.
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans smiles during an NFL wild-card playoff game, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
Defense travels.
That was certainly the case Monday night, as the AFC’s No. 5 seed — the Houston Texans — traveled to Pittsburgh and defeated the No. 4-seeded Steelers in decisive fashion, 30-6, to complete the final piece of the NFL divisional-round playoff puzzle. It was the Texans’ first road playoff win in the franchise’s 24-year history. Previously, they were 0-6.
Leaning on the league’s stingiest defense built by third-year head coach (and former Texans defensive star) DeMeco Ryans, Houston had built a white-hot nine-game winning streak to finish the regular season. It extended the streak to 10 by doing the exact same thing on Monday.
Houston clung to a tight 7-6 lead entering the fourth quarter, and then came alive. Ka’imi Fairbairn hit a 51-yard field goal with 13:07 left. Then on the ensuing Pittsburgh possession, Texans defensive end Will Anderson hit Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who fumbled. Fellow defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins picked up the loose ball and ran it back for a 33-yard touchdown.
The Texans’ defense forced Pittsburgh to punt and the offense then responded with an 11-play, 87-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown run by running back Woody Marks. But it was the defense, again, which put the finishing touches on Houston’s historic victory.
With less than three minutes remaining, Rodgers launched a pass deep downfield that was intercepted by Houston safety Calen Bullock Jr. at the 50 yard-line. Bullock returned it down the left sideline for the Texans’ second defensive touchdown of the game and their final points in the 30-6 win.
It was a dominant defensive performance indeed, but one that was by no means surprising. The Texans boasted the NFL’s No. 1 defense in 2025-26, leading the way with the fewest yards allowed per game (277.2) during the regular season. They also forced the third-most turnovers (29) and allowed the second-fewest points per game (17.4).
“First and foremost for me,” Ryans said to begin his press conference, “I just want to give all praise, honor and glory to our God, who’s been gracious to us, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“What a game. What a performance by our guys. Guys just continue to let their light shine through how they’re playing.”
On the back of his great defense that shined once again on Monday, Ryans led his team to an incredible mid-season turnaround to reach the playoffs for the third time in his three seasons at the helm. The Texans began this season with three straight losses but finished 12-5, becoming only the fifth team since 1990 to start a season 0-3 and reach the playoffs. Houston is now the first franchise to do it twice, having accomplished the feat in 2018 as well.
Houston’s players and coaches have seemed to rally around the Biblical concept from Matthew 5:16 of letting their light shine as they’ve compiled their impressive winning streak. Ryans expanded a bit about it after a Dec. 27 win against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“The light is shining bright on the Texans, but that light is really reflective of our guys’ belief in the Lord and Savior — our Lord and Savior — Jesus Christ,” he told the media that day. “That’s what’s driven our team, and I’m so proud of our guys and thankful to the Lord for allowing us to allow our lights to shine through Him.
“Just all praise and honor goes to Him.”
Anderson alluded to Matthew 5:16 in the aftermath of Monday’s game.
“First, I gotta give all glory to God,” Anderson told ESPN. “Thank You, Jesus Christ. We have a Scripture saying, ‘Let our light shine before You, God,’ that when people see us play, they glorify Your name. Just a shoutout to Jesus Christ.”
Ryans made it clear from his introductory press conference as head coach that, as he sought to lead his beloved Texans to greatness, he’d never forget to praise God or thank Him for the gift it is to have the opportunity.
“I’m thankful to God that He’s just paved the way for me through everything that I’ve been through in life,” Ryans said in February 2023.
Before the Super Bowl in 2020, when he was a San Francisco 49ers’ defensive assistant, Ryans revealed to Sports Spectrum his deepest motivations as a coach.
“You’ve got to keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s why we’re all here — and that’s by the grace of God,” Ryans said. “Why are we in the position that we’re in? Why are we able to do what we do? That’s by God blessing us with this awesome opportunity to reach back and teach these young men, help these young men, but we have to stay grounded in the Word.
“We can get caught up in our work, a lot of long hours, a lot of long days, but you can’t forget what sustains us, and that’s Jesus Christ.”
Ryans will lead the Texans on the road again in their divisional-round matchup against the No. 2-seeded New England Patriots, hoping for a repeat performance from his defense to earn Houston’s first AFC Championship Game appearance in franchise history. Yet all the while, he will continue to seek to integrate Biblical principles into his coaching, knowing that a win would be in vain if it doesn’t bring glory to Jesus Christ.
Kickoff from Foxborough is set for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
