CHANGE IN IMAGE
Dramatic image change has Texans at the forefront of fight against racial inequality
Led by Cal McNair, Texans have been at forefront in calling for change after Floyd death.
The franchise has become outspoken in fighting racism, supporting its black players and advocating for change. It is a shift in the team’s image that was — fairly or unfairly — characterized by late owner Bob McNair’s “inmates running the prison” comments in 2017.
“Yeah, I’ll take a knee — I’m all for it. The players have a right to protest, a right to be heard and a right to be who they are. They’re not taking a knee because they’re against our flag. They’re taking a knee because they haven’t been treated equally in this country for over 400 years.”
Texans coach Bill O’Brien is so passionate about fighting racial prejudice, getting justice for George Floyd and participating in the McNair family’s condemnation of systemic racism in America that he’ll join his players when they’re expected to kneel during the national anthem this season.
“Yeah, I’ll take a knee — I’m all for it,” O’Brien said. “The players have a right to protest, a right to be heard, and a right to be who they are. They’re not taking a knee because they’re against our flag. They’re taking a knee because they haven’t been treated equally in this country for over 400 years.”
O’Brien, the coach and general manager, has been outspoken on racial inequality since Floyd died May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody, igniting demonstrations around the world against police brutality.
Led by the McNair family, the Texans have been out front among professional sports teams in their response to fighting racism, supporting their African American players and trying to make a change.
It is a shift in the team’s image that was — fairly or unfairly — characterized by late owner Bob McNair’s “inmates running the prison” comments in 2017 during the height of the Colin Kaepernick controversy.
“It wasn’t a conscious effort,” O’Brien said of the Texans’ response to Floyd’s death. “It wasn’t like we had a conversation together and decided to do it. I think we just said enough is enough, and we’ve got to do what’s right. As an organization, we’re part of the conversation, and we want to do our part.”
O’Brien said he’s proud of the way the organization has responded in the aftermath of Floyd’s death.
“Janice, Cal and Hannah McNair have done an awesome job of listening and having conversations,” O’Brien said. “I know they believe in trying to find ways to fight racial injustice in this country. They care so much about this city and the people here, and they care deeply about the players.”
After Floyd’s death and the rallies in Houston and around the country, the Texans have aggressively supported their players and city leaders in the fight against racial prejudice.
“When you think about how big the issue is, if we can help make a little change in Houston, maybe it’ll be like a pebble in the pond that creates a ripple,” said Cal McNair, the team chairman. “What happened to George Floyd brought to life something that’s bigger than football, and you can’t ignore it. We felt like we couldn’t stay silent. We felt like we had to say and do something. We want to help make changes.
“This is the right thing to do, and I think our players recognize that. We want to support our players and our community. We’re all in this boat together.”
O’Brien, who had been quiet in public other than to say he supported his players, now is speaking up.
“I’ve always felt strongly about racial injustice because I was brought up that way,” O’Brien said. “I believe very strongly that white people have to stand with black people in our country.
“Black lives matter. Police brutality is part of it, obviously, but this is so much deeper than that. There are 800,000 policemen and policewomen in this country, and so many of them are trying to do what’s right for their community.
“It’s like what was said at George Floyd’s funeral: It’s about humanity coming together and treating each other as equals.”
Beginning with defensive end J.J. Watt’s comments, the Texans had a compelling response to Floyd’s death.
In a Zoom conference call with the media, Watt — who rarely had spoken out on social issues during his career — called the video showing Floyd dying with police officer Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck “disgusting” and “terrible,” and “needs to be addressed strongly,” among other things.
Then, O’Brien spoke out before new safety Michael Thomas’ Zoom conference call with reporters. That same day, Cal McNair did a video condemning racism and supporting his players.
Janice, Cal and Hannah McNair began a 10-part video series, “Conversations for Change,” on the team’s website. In the first one, they listened to and asked questions of former defensive tackle Travis Johnson, who talked about experiencing racism while growing up in Los Angeles.
The McNairs’ next video will be posted Monday with associate head coach Romeo Crennel sharing his experiences.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson was part of the powerful, 15-player video demanding justice for Floyd and other African Americans killed by police. Their video prompted commissioner Roger Goodell to record one of his own that included an apology to NFL players and a vow to support them.
Besides Watson, Watt and Thomas, among the other Texans taking an active role in denouncing racial injustice and police brutality are safety Justin Reid and receiver Kenny Stills.
The McNairs, O’Brien, executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby and the players have been at the forefront.
“We have to listen to our players and our community because they’re hurting,” Cal McNair said. “Listening is the key to learning, and learning is the key to change.”
The Texans’ actions since Floyd’s death and the positive response they’ve received among many African Americans stand in stark contrast to 2017, when late founder Bob McNair created a nationwide firestorm.
After an NFL meeting in New York, McNair was quoted anonymously by ESPN the Magazine as saying, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.” McNair later said he was referring not to players but to people in the league office, but the damage was done.
At the time, many players across the league had joined Kaepernick, the former San Francisco quarterback, in taking a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. It was a controversial period in Texans history.
Some players reacted by threatening to revolt and not play the next game at Seattle. Receiver DeAndre Hopkins left NRG Stadium and didn’t return for practice, causing O’Brien to say he was out because of personal reasons.
Left tackle Duane Brown, who had been holding out because of a contract dispute and demanding to be traded, finally reported that week and played in the loss at Seattle. Brown was outspoken in his criticism of McNair, who tried several times to clarify his remarks.
At Seattle, many of the players took a knee during the national anthem to protest McNair’s comment. Two days after the Seattle game, Brown got his wish and was traded to the Seahawks, who gave him a contract extension in 2018.
As the controversy simmered, some players and assistant coaches credited O’Brien with stepping up and keeping the team together during what could have been an open rebellion.
Cal McNair was asked if he thought the Texans would be doing the same things today if his father were still alive?
“Absolutely, I believe we would be,” he said. “I know what was in Dad’s heart. You can see it with Mom participating in the video conversations we’re having with Travis, Romeo and others. She cares deeply, as Dad did.
“I don’t know of anyone who’s given more back to the community than he did. He was trying to make an impact, not only in Houston but in other cities, to people in need. He loved doing it. He loved trying to make the world a better place.”
In one of his final public appearances before his death in 2018, Bob McNair joined six Texans players with ties to South Carolina in visiting the Mother Emanuel church where nine members were shot to death by a white supremacist in 2015. The McNairs, who gave $1 million for a memorial in 2018, also paid for funeral arrangements for the nine shooting victims in 2015.
The team’s virtual offseason program ended Thursday, and training camp is scheduled to begin the third week of July, but that hasn’t signaled the end of the Texans’ efforts. They’ll continue to support their players and city leaders during the offseason, training camp, preseason and regular season.
“We felt we had a healthy burden to act, and act quickly,” Easterby said. “The McNairs have taken leadership. We’re listening to our players and others in our building. We’ve told our players it’s OK not to be OK at a time like this.
“We want to be there for them and empower them to help get the change they want to see. We want to give them everything they need for support and encouragement. It’s been important to us to act in a manner that’s honorable and centered on love for our players and our community.”
When O’Brien interrupted the Zoom session with Thomas to speak out, it struck a chord with his player.
“To hear a head coach say that, you don’t know how much volume that speaks,” said Thomas, who was one of the first players to kneel while he was in Miami. “As a young African American male in this country, it means a lot.”
The Texans believe the players will continue to speak out against racism, and they have the organization’s full support. Cal McNair said he will continue to support all peaceful demonstrations.
“We have some of the most amazing people who want to make an impact from their platform as NFL players,” Easterby said. “It speaks to the character we have in our building. We have some awesome difference-makers.
“I think a lot of people should be proud to have ownership that takes this kind of mindset that, hopefully, could be an olive branch to a new reality in our community.”
Cal and Hannah McNair were among the team’s contingent that attended Floyd’s funeral service. They were particularly touched by sentiments expressed by the Rev. William A. Lawson, the civil rights activist, pastor emeritus and founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
“Rev. Lawson had some profound things to say, including one thing in particular, that in order for real change to happen, we have to vote and then hold our officials accountable,” Cal McNair said. “If they don’t do what we want them to do, we have to vote for someone else.
“It’s our responsibility to do that, and that’s how real change is going to happen, so vote and help make a difference.”
The kind of difference the Texans are trying to make.