On Friday it was revealed that Texans owner Bob McNair referred to NFL players as “inmates running the prison’ to group of owners during a meeting last week.
We can’t have the inmates running the prison,” McNair reportedly said, referring to NFL players.
The meeting took place last week in New York, one day after a small group of owners met with a handful of players about ongoing protests during the national anthem.
NFL executive Troy Vincent, a former player, later stood up and said he was offended by McNair’s comment, according to ESPN.
After the owners finished, Troy Vincent stood up. He was offended by McNair’s characterization of the players as “inmates.” Vincent said that in all his years of playing in the NFL — during which, he said, he had been called every name in the book, including the N-word — he never felt like an “inmate.”
McNair apologized for his coomments but players didn’t feel it was genuine and planned to protest before their game against the Seahawks.
Though #Texans owner Bob McNair did apologize to players yesterday, it did not go over well. I’m told to expect some form of protest today
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2017
It seems like the players lived up to their promise because nearly every Texans players knelt during the anthem before today’s game/
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/924732068734611456
About 40 members of the Houston Texans knelt during the national anthem in protest of their team owner's remarks https://t.co/3U8EbvbCOr
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 29, 2017
Many #Texans players kneeling, as reported. pic.twitter.com/50CRSdAR73
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 29, 2017
Here is a another look. All of the #Texans kneelers together. Some on the bench sitting, some standing. pic.twitter.com/rH1jFZ9A0b
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 29, 2017
Almost every member of the Texans took a knee during the national anthem in protest of Bob McNair's comments pic.twitter.com/IZxY28Zytk
— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 29, 2017
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 29, 2017
Texans kneeling during anthem today to protest “inmates” comment made by their owner Bob McNair (📷 by @lindsniewski) pic.twitter.com/m26Gisd2lk
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 29, 2017