Every story has a beginning, and while it's not inaccurate to say that DeMeco Ryans' football journey can be traced back to the state of Alabama -- where Ryans played both high school and college ball -- or Houston, Texas -- where Ryans spent the first six years of his professional playing career -- Ryans' coaching journey started with the San Francisco 49ers.
Coincidentally, it began alongside the two coaches who will be calling the plays on the opposite sideline this Sunday afternoon when the 5-2 San Francisco 49ers come to town to face the desperate-for-a-win 2-4 Houston Texans.