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HOUSTON (AP) – Robert & # 39; Bob & # 39; McNair, the man who brought football back to Houston after the Oilers' departure for Tennessee by founding the Texans, has died. He was 81 years old.
McNair, one of the NFL's most influential owners, fought both leukemia and squamous cell carcinoma in recent years before dying in Houston on Friday. The team did not immediately reveal a cause of death, but said he had died peacefully with his wife Janice and his family at his side.
"He was very caring, thoughtful and passionate," said coach Bill O. Brien in a statement. "Even though he was worried about winning, I think the thing I will remember most about Mr. McNair, is the way he cared about the players."
After the loss of the Oilers by Houston in Tennessee after the 1996 season, McNair's mission is to bring the NFL back to the city. He formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998 and on October 6, 1999, he won the 32nd NFL franchise. Texans started playing in 2002.
"It was the reason why professional football came back to Houston and he (directed) our franchise with a laser focus on honesty, integrity and high character," said the president of the Team, Jamey Rootes, in a statement. "He was an incredible champion for Houston and worked hard to make sure our city made the most of the Texans and NFL presence."
His son, Cal McNair, who was president and chief operating officer of the team, will lead the team following the death of his father.
President George H. W. Bush, McNair's long-time friend, issued a statement about his passing.
& # 39; & # 39; Bob McNair was not only the brightest point of light in Houston; he was one of the kindest and most generous people in the world, "Bush said. & # 39; & # 39; Nobody cared – nor helped people – anymore, and that's one of the reasons I'll always be proud to see Bob being my good friend. He was simply the best. & # 39; & # 39;
The owner of Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, is excited for McNair and his contributions to the NFL. .
"His love for his team, and especially for his players, has not been surpassed by any of the NFL owners I know," Jones said in a statement. & # 39; & # 39; I am very grateful and grateful to him for bringing Houston back to the NFL and restoring this great metropolitan area of our state as an NFL city. I am privileged to have been his friend. We lost a great Texan, sportsman and a wonderful person. & # 39; & # 39;
"He was not only a strong personal and professional influence on me, but his presence in the NFL has contributed to the growth and development of our league at many levels," continued Jones.
Many Texans and former Texans used social media to share their thoughts on McNair and extend their condolences to his family.
Receiver Andre Johnson, who played for the team from 2003 to 2014 and is the leader of the Texans career, tweeted about McNair, saying, "I can only thank you enough for giving a Miami kid's lucky to live his dream of playing in the NFL. "
Three-time defensive player of the year in the NFL, JJ Watt also tweeted his appreciation for McNair saying, "Thank you for giving me and so many others a opportunity here in Houston. "
McNair was targeted in 2017 when he said: "We can not let inmates run the jail" at a meeting of NFL owners about gamblers who protest against the "jail". social and racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. McNair apologized after the remarks became public, calling it a "very regrettable comment".
In response, almost all Texans knelt during the national anthem before their match against the Seahawks on October 29, 2017, after no one in the team had knelt before.
McNair, who was a powerful force in the NFL, was chairman of the league's finance committee and a member of the audit committee.
In August 2014, he spoke frankly about his fight against cancer and described the many procedures and treatments that he endured to recover.
"In the past, if you mentioned cancer, people thought it was a death sentence," McNair said at the time. & # 39; & # 39; This is just not nearly the case. & # 39; & # 39;
It was then that he revealed that he had been suffering from skin cancer for about 20 years.
He also indicated that he would remain responsible for the team, but that he would delegate responsibilities to other members of his staff.
"We are in excellent shape," said McNair. & # 39; & # 39; I will continue to be the CEO and will do everything in my power to build a winning football team. that's what we are all about. We won this other battle and now we have to win the football battle.
"I'm going to every game and I plan to continue doing it," added McNair. & # 39; & # 39; I think I will enjoy it more and let other members of the organization worry more. I will spend the worrying and take pleasure. & # 39; & # 39;
He continued to attend many games after this statement and was often seen at the training in the shadow of a golf cart or talking with various staff around the facilities. .
"For nearly two decades as an owner of the NFL, Bob McNair has left a lasting mark on his city and our league," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement. & # 39; & # 39; His leadership and determination brought the NFL back to Houston, allowing him to build a magnificent stadium that hosted two Super Bowls. His beloved Texans are currently enjoying another successful season and are once again playing in the playoffs.
He cared a lot about the league and was generous with his time and his willingness to share his ideas as an exceptional business man. But above all, Bob was a father. I send my sincere condolences to Janice, their family, the Texans and the entire Houston community. & # 39; & # 39;
After several tough years of construction as an expansion team, the Texans won their first AFC South title and their first playoff participation in 2011. They also won the title of the division a year later, after breaking the record of their 12-4 franchise. The two years they lost in the divisional playoff round.
McNair made the excruciating decision to send his long-time friend and coach, Gary Kubiak, late in the next season, as the Texans reached a score of 2-14, relegating a franchise record to their losses. He hired O & # 39; Brien in 2014 and the team improved to 9-7 in his first year, but missed the playoffs. Houston set an identical record in 2015, but this time in a weak AFC South, it was enough to reach the playoffs for the third time. This season has ended on an embarrassing loss of 30-0 against Kansas City.
In March 2016, McNair beamed as he sat next to quarterback Brock Osweiler the same day the team had introduced him to Houston. He seemed insensitive to the impressive $ 72 million contract they had spent in Denver at Osweiler.
"We just want to improve every day," McNair said. & # 39; & # 39; Certainly it was a day when we improved a lot. & # 39; & # 39;
Not exactly. Osweiler had difficulties and his name was added to a long list of quarterbacks that could not help the owner get the title he hoped so much. Osweiler was benched late in the 2016 season before returning to his position (injured instead of his replacement) in time for the playoffs. But he threw three interceptions in a defeat against New England in the divisional round. Houston had already seen enough and sent it to Cleveland a few months later.
The Texans recruited Deshaun Watson in the first round in 2017 to replace Osweiler, but he suffered a knee injury at the end of the season in a year when star defenseman JJ Watt also missed most of the season with one leg broken. Houston was going 4-12 in the last full season that McNair would see.
McNair was born in Tampa and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from South Carolina in 1958. He received an honorary doctorate in Human Letters from South Carolina in 1999 and, in 2010, an Honorary Doctor of Humanities in Medicine from South Carolina. Baylor College of Medicine.
He and Janice moved to Houston in 1960 and made a fortune as the founder of Cogen Technologies, an energy company that was sold to Enron in 1999 for $ 1.5 billion.
The couple is engaged in charity work in the city. He has served as President of the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, the Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation in Forest City, North Carolina, and the Houston Texans Foundation. Through these efforts, the McNairs have donated more than $ 500 million to scientific, religious, educational and literary organizations.
He also founded the AdvoCare Texas Bowl, which provided more than $ 700,000 to the DePelchin Children's Center in Houston.
McNair is survived by four children, 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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