Texans Owner Bob McNair Doesn't Regret 'Inmates' Comment

HOUSTON, TX — Last October at a meeting with top NFL executives and a few other team owners, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair made a controversial statement that he eventually "walked back" and apologized for. On Thursday McNair told The Wall Street Journal he regretted the apology of saying the inmates are running the prison. He clarified he meant the NFL executives and not the players themselves.

"The main thing I regret is apologizing," he told The Journal. "I really didn't have anything to apologize for.

"We were talking about a number of things, but we were also washing some of our dirty linen, which you do internally. You can't do that publicly. That's what I was addressing: The relationship of owners and the league office."

McNair, who has owned the Houston Texans franchise since 2002, said: "We can't have the inmates running the prison." McNair's comments, which were first reported by ESPN the Magazine, apparently stunned some in the room.

NFL Executive and former player Troy Vincent took offense at McNair's comments, leading to a heated exchange between Vincent, McNair and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, the Daily Beast reported.

McNair is the founder of the Houston Texans organization, and is responsible for bringing football back to Houston after the Oilers franchise relocated to Nashville and changed their name to the Tennessee Titans.

The full ESPN The Magazine article detailing the owner meeting appeared in the Nov. 13 issue.

Houston's first game after McNair's comments were reported was a Sunday in Seattle. Most of the Texans players took a knee during the national anthem before that game and some fans showed their disapproval of McNair.

Top image: A Houston Texans fan holds a sign referring to Houston Texans owner Bob McNair's 'inmates' comments before a game between the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. During a meeting of NFL owners earlier in October, McNair said 'we can't have the inmates running the prison', referring to player demonstrations during the national anthem. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)