Bob McNair Reportedly Met with Players to Apologize for Prison Comments

Adam Wells @adamwells1985Featured ColumnistOctober 28, 2017

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair met with players on Saturday to apologize for an offensive comment he made during the NFL owners meetings on Oct. 18.

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, McNair "expressed regret," and all Texans players are expected to travel to Seattle for Sunday's game against the Seahawks.

McNair explained what he said in the meeting, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle and Mark Berman of Fox 26:

John McClain @McClain_on_NFL
McNair "I know they were upset. I wanted to answer their questions. I told them if I had it 2 do over again I wouldn't use that expression."

Mark Berman @MarkBermanFox26
Bob McNair: "I met with the players. I let them know that number 1, the last thing I want to be is a distraction to the team.If any of the players were offended by what was reported,I'm sorry about that & I apologized to them for that. We need to just work together going forward"

McNair also released a statement via the Texans' Twitter feed:

Texans PR @TexansPR
Statement from Texans Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert C. McNair: https://t.co/YqkfnbjeSp

Per ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr., McNair said during a meeting with NFL owners, team executives and commissioner Roger Goodell that the league "can't have the inmates running the prison" in response to the ongoing protesting during the national anthem.

McNair issued an apology for the comment Friday.

"I regret that I used that expression," his statement said. "I never meant to offend anyone and I was not referring to our players. I used a figure of speech that was never intended to be taken literally. I would never characterize our players or our league that way and I apologize to anyone who was offended by it."

Per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and running back D'Onta Foreman didn't practice on Friday as a result of McNair's comment. Hopkins left the team facility altogether.

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ESPN's Sarah Barshop reported other Texans players wanted to walk out but were persuaded to stay.

The meetings, some of which also included players and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith on Oct. 17, were set up to discuss player protests during the national anthem in the wake of controversial comments from President Donald Trump last month.