Owner meets with team after criticism
McNair says he regrets using ‘expression,’ reiterates comment wasn’t about players
One day after drawing a harsh rebuke from Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown and having two of his players walk out before practice following his widely criticized remark at a recent NFL owners meetings, Texans owner Bob McNair held a meeting with the players Saturday morning.
“I know they were upset,” McNair told the Chronicle. “I wanted to answer their questions. I told them if I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t use that expression.”
McNair later issued his second statement on the issue, reiterating that he wasn’t referring to players when he said “we can’t have the inmates running the prison” during meetings in which owners, players and others discussed protests during the national anthem by numerous players over racial injustice in the United States.
“As I said, I was not referring to our players when I made a very regretful comment during the owners meetings last week,” McNair said Saturday. “I was referring to the relationship between the league office and team owners and how they have been making significant strategic decisions affecting our league without adequate input from ownership over the past few years.
“I am truly sorry to the players for how this has impacted them and the perception that it has created of me, which could not be further from the truth. Our focus going forward, personally and as an organization, will be towards making meaningful progress regarding the social issues that mean so much to our players and our community.”
McNair drew heavy criticism for his remarks locally and nationally, angering the players who work for him and other NFL players as well as Houstonarea community leaders. McNair’s comments were widely characterized as insensitive.
Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and rookie running back D’Onta Foreman left NRG Stadium on Friday and did not return for practice in reaction to McNair’s remarks, which were first published by espn.com.
McNair issued a statement of apology Friday morning.
All of the Texans’ players planned to travel on the team charter flight to Seattle on Saturday in advance of a road game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Several Texans players contemplated walking out before practice Friday.
The controversy remains a simmering issue for the Texans and other NFL players.
“I think the comments were disrespectful, I think it was ignorant, I think it was embarrassing,” Brown said Friday. “I think it angered a lot of players, including myself. We put our bodies and minds on the line every time we step on the field. To use an analogy of inmates in prison, I would say that’s disrespectful. That’s how I feel about it.”
Texans coach Bill O’Brien, general manager Rick Smith and assistant head coach Romeo Crennel met with players for 90 minutes Friday to discuss the situation, pushing back the start of practice, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly. By all accounts, the meeting went positively and players were able to voice their opinions and frustrations and were convinced to practice.
“When it happened, there’s a thousand emotions going through your mind,” Brown said. “Obviously, one of the emotions is to leave the building immediately. We decided to go to work. The situation’s not over. It’s something that we’ll reconvene and talk about again, but we had practice.”
Brown raised his fist during the national anthem last year during a loss to the New England Patriots as the lone Texans player to protest. The Texans’ players are planning some type of demonstration Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
“It’s frustrating the climate we’re in, as a country, as a league,” Brown said. “The climate that we’re in right now to have that be said is crazy. To have that said, it’s horrible.
“It’s frustrating, but I don’t think it should discourage anybody. I think you stand with your beliefs. They feel how they feel. You’ve got to continue to feel how you feel. Hopefully at some point, we’ll meet at some kind of middle ground.”