ORLANDO, Fla. -- Cal McNair was officially approved as the Texans’ new principal owner with a vote Tuesday morning by his fellow owners at the annual NFL league meetings.
It was a unanimous vote, per a league source.
Since his father, Bob McNair, the founder and original owner of the Texans, passed away five years ago after a long battle with cancer, Cal McNair has been a leader for the AFC South franchise.
Now, the Texans’ chairman and CEO has replaced his mother, Janice McNair, as principal owner, which she strongly supported. Cal McNair is the chair of the NFL audit committee and a member of the investment committee and is well-liked by his fellow owners.
“I first want to acknowledge the incredible work my mom has done over the last five years since taking over,” Cal McNair said in a statement following the vote. “She has been an inspirational leader for our family, our team and our community. I can’t thank her enough for the foundation she has helped build and her countless contributions both on and off the field. It’s an exciting time to be a Houston Texan and I’m honored to lead this franchise. This move ensures the long-term stability of our franchise and we will continue to operate the way we have been over the last couple years, pursuing a championship for the City of Houston while doing great things in the community and for our fans.”
Over the years, Jerry Jones and Bob McNair built a strong friendship and mutual respect as two Texas-based NFL owners who were aligned on many important league issues.
And the Dallas Cowboys’ owner strongly supports the proposal to be voted on Tuesday morning at the NFL owners meetings to formally approve Cal McNair as the new principal owner of the AFC South franchise.
“He was mentored by one of the finest men and one of the best owners ever to be in the NFL in Bob McNair,” Jones told KPRC 2 at the Ritz Carlton. “He’s been mentored. I’d vote for him every time.”
The team is not for sale, according to a league source, and this vote is expected to solidify the long-term plans for the AFC South franchise going forward. Cal McNair was already in charge of all workings of the team on a daily basis and he and his wife, Hannah McNair, the vice president of the Texans’ charitable foundation, work together in support of each other, the team’s employees and the overall direction of the defending AFC South champions.
When Jones’ comment was relayed to him, Cal McNair became emotional.
“That’s very nice, Jerry has been a friend and a mentor to the family and the team since Day 1,” Cal McNair said. “We have a lot of respect for him. He’s a tremendous person. For him to say that, it’s really, really nice. It makes me feel special. They’ve always been friends, fellow teams in Texas. We’re always rooting for them when it’s not us.”
This positive development followed a family court battle involving Janice McNair, a senior chairperson and co-founder that was resolved favorably as her son, Cary McNair, dropped a lawsuit seeking guardianship of his mother and her estate holdings.
“The Houston Texans mean so much to our family and I’m extremely proud that Cal will continue to lead the franchise moving forward,” Janice McNair said in a statement. “He has done such a terrific job as our CEO and we believe this move is what’s best for everyone involved with the organization to secure our future under Cal’s leadership. I know how pleased Bob would be to see this and our fans should be incredibly excited about the direction we are headed. I will continue to support Cal and the team in every way that I can and, of course, be rooting for us each and every week.”
The McNair family hiring coach DeMeco Ryans last year led to an 11-8 season that included a wild-card playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns.
And quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr., were named the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, respectively.
“Cal has been outstanding to work with, him and Hannah both,” Ryans told a group of Houston reporters Monday morning at the NFL meetings. “What I’ve always loved about the organization is that family environment Cal has been great to work with, in him working with myself and Nick. Just awesome owners.
“It’s great to work for great owners, great people who truly care about the players. They care about the people working in the organization. That’s what sets them apart is their heart is they’re very genuine. They love football. They love to win They’re passionate about it and we are as well, so it’s easy to work together.”
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