Houston Texans Owner on Protest: ‘Can’t Have the Inmates Running the Prison’

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair is under fire for a comment he made last week during a closed-door meeting with NFL owners and executives — which was reported on Friday morning.

In a lengthy ESPN feature chronicling last week’s meetings in New York (which also included discussions with the players on the NFL protests), McNair voiced his opposition to the NFL protests by saying this:

“We can’t have the inmates running the prison.”

In a statement posted to Twitter by Houston Texans PR, McNair did not deny making the remark, and apologized.

Statement from Texans Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert C. McNair: pic.twitter.com/EXdwKZ4y4x

— Texans PR (@TexansPR) October 27, 2017

Twitter was furious over McNair’s comment. Here is a small sampling of the outrage:

A quote that will make you cringe from Texans owners Bob McNair, re: anthem protests: “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.”

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 27, 2017

Did Mr McNair (Texans Owner) really say what they said he said? If it’s true, WOW!!!

— Bernard Pollard Jr (@Crushboy31) October 27, 2017

Dear Mr McNair: The horses you own are different than humans you do not own. Check with Mr Allen up north.
Go @Seahawks https://t.co/ZxFLLqlmZA

— Kenny Mayne (@Kenny_Mayne) October 27, 2017

Nahhh Bob McNair didn’t say that…nah y’all tripping. He couldn’t have. Nope he didn’t. Did that wake some of y’all up now?

— Damon Harrison (@BigDame900) October 27, 2017

so bob mcnair called the players inmates and the NFL a prison. is he the Warden or the overseer https://t.co/HtNSKRsfZf

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) October 27, 2017

Bob McNair calling NFL players “inmates” is worse than Donald Trump calling them “sons of bitches”

— Exavier Pope (@exavierpope) October 27, 2017

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Joe DePaolo (@joe_depaolo) on Twitter

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