WASHINGTON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Houston Texans general manager Charley Casserly resigned on Wednesday, saying his leaving to pursue other opportunities in the NFL.

    Casserly's resignation was less than two weeks after the team's controversial decision to take defensive end Mario Williams with the top pick in the National Football League draft, reports said from Houston.

    The Texans, who at 2-14 had the NFL's worst record last year, stunned the football world and fans on April 29 when they chose Williams from North Carolina State over University of Texas quarterback Vince Young and Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush from the University of Southern California.

    The decision to pass over Young, a Houston native who led Texasto the national championship this year in a thrilling Rose Bowl win over Bush and USC, angered many Texans fans who already doubted Casserly after a series of lackluster drafts led to the miserable 2005 record.

    Casserly took the unusual step of telling Houston fans in one television appearance they should blame him, not new Texans coach Gary Kubiak, for the Williams selection, reports said.    Enditem