Phillips served as interim head coach for the Texans' final three games of the 2013 season after head coach Gary Kubiak was fired. He interviewed for the Texans' head coaching vacancy two weeks ago.
Houston finished a league-worst 2-14, losing its three games under Phillips.
O'Brien is having short meetings with members of the Texans staff Saturday. According to one person familiar with the meetings, he is informing them that he plans to replace the staff with one of his own choosing.
Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison was fired after his meeting, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Defensive backs coach Vance Joseph, running backs coach Chick Harris and assistant defensive backs coach Perry Carter have also had their meetings already.
Quarterbacks coach Karl Dorrell and linebackers coach Reggie Herring have reportedly met with O'Brien as well.
Sources said O'Brien is planning to hire former Browns and Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel as his defensive coordinator. Like O'Brien, Crennel was a coordinator for the Patriots, though the two did not work in New England at the same time.
Crennel, though, has not decided whether he wants to return to coaching for next season, an NFL source told ESPN.
Crennel has one year left on his deal with the Chiefs valued at $3.5 million. And because the deal contains offset language, he would not earn two paychecks as long as any salary did not eclipse $3.5 million.
O'Brien also plans to bring Jim Bernhardt to Houston. Bernhardt served as the special assistant to the head coach and director of player development at Penn State when O'Brien was the head coach there. They have known each other since O'Brien was in college at Brown.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan contributed to this report.
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