HOUSTON — Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith will retain his job despite the team failing to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Cal McNair, team owner Bob McNair’s son and right-hand man as the team’s CEO and vice chairman, quickly shot down reports that there would be a new general manager. Smith is under contract until June 2017.

Texans head coach Bill O’Brien, who worked closely with Smith during last offseason and during this season, said of the GM, “We have a great relationship. We talk every day, multiple times a day. His office is basically right next to mine. His door’s always open. My door’s always open.

“We feel good about basically where we are right now and building something here, but we know that there’s a lot more out there, and we’ve got to work hard together to put together a better team. We understand that.”

Throughout the season, O’Brien praised Smith and their relationship.

“He’s a great guy to work with, a great communicator, and I’m looking forward to heading into the offseason and helping him,” O’Brien said.

The Texans finished 9-7 this year in O’Brien’s first season after going 2-14 the previous season.

Smith became Houston’s general manager in 2006. The team twice reached the playoffs during his tenure, after the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Each time, the Texans won a wild-card game before losing in the divisional-playoff round.