Bob McNair’s plea to calm the protests during the national anthem is about to majorly backfire. The Texans are planning to protest as a team in the wake…
Bob McNair’s plea to calm the protests during the national anthem is about to majorly backfire.
The Texans are planning to protest as a team in the wake of their owner’s heated “inmates running the prison” remark, according to ESPN. Houston kicks off at 4:05 Eastern in Seattle.
The team held a players-only meeting Saturday to discuss what the statement would look like. Left tackle Duane Brown told ESPN that “up to 65 to 70 percent” of the team’s players could kneel; an initial idea to remove the team’s decals from their helmets has been shelved.
McNair, the team owner, ignited a firestorm after comments he made earlier this month during the players-owners meeting, in which he used a clumsy analogy that referred to the players as inmates, were made public.
As the owners, ever conscious of their wallets and the fact many fans prefer the player to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” were conversing with the players, McNair said, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.” The wording was troublesome, as was the underlying message that the owners must be the ones truly in charge.
After ESPN reported the comments, the team swiftly rebelled against its owner. Several players skipped practice — after Houston had discussed the possibility of a mass walkout. Head coach Bill O’Brien said he is “100 percent” with his players.
McNair apologized to the players Saturday.
“I know they were upset,” McNair said. “I wanted to answer their questions. I told them if I had it to do over again I wouldn’t use that expression.”
