Texans founder and owner McNair dies at the age of 81

HOUSTON >> Robert “Bob” McNair, billionaire founder and owner of the Houston Texans, has died. He was 81.

One of the NFL’s most influential owners, McNair had battled both leukemia and squamous cell carcinoma in recent years before dying in Houston on Friday. The team did not immediately release a cause of death, but said he died peacefully with his wife Janice and his family by his side.

“He was a very caring, thoughtful and passionate individual,” coach Bill O’Brien said in a statement. “As much as he cared about winning, I think the thing I will remember most about Mr. McNair is the way he cared about the players.”

When Houston lost the Oilers to Tennessee after the 1996 season, McNair made it his mission to return the NFL to the city. He formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998, and on Oct. 6, 1999 he was awarded the 32nd NFL franchise. The Texans began play in 2002.

“He was the reason professional football returned to Houston and he (led) our franchise with a laser focus on honesty, integrity and high character,” team president Jamey Rootes said in a statement. “He was an amazing champion for Houston and worked hard to make sure our city received maximum value from the presence of the Texans and the NFL.”

A powerful force in the NFL, McNair served as chairman of the league’s finance committee and as a member of the audit committee.

In August 2014 he spoke candidly about his battle with cancer, and outlined the many procedures and treatments he endured to recover.

“In the past, if you mentioned cancer, people thought it’s a death sentence,” McNair said at that time. “That’s just not nearly the case.”

It was then he revealed he’d dealt with skin cancer for about 20 years.

He also noted then that he’d remain in charge of the team, but would work on delegating responsibilities to other members of his staff.

McNair came under fire in 2017 when he said “we can’t have the inmates running the prison” during a meeting of the NFL owners about players who protest social and racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. McNair issued two apologies after the remarks became public, calling it a “very regretful comment.”

In response, almost all of the Texans kneeled during the anthem before their game against the Seahawks on Oct. 29, 2017 after no one on the team had kneeled before