Tag: Bob McNair

What is the Houston Texans’ record in Ring of Honor games?

The Houston Texans are inducting J.J. Watt in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. What is Houston’s record in Ring of Honor games?

The Houston Texans announced Monday their plans to induct former defensive end J.J. Watt into the team’s Ring of Honor on Oct. 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Watt will be the third member of the organization to have his name enshrined inside NRG Stadium. Receiver Andre Johnson was inducted in 2017, and late founder Bob McNair was inducted in 2019.

One of the questions Houston sports fans will want to know is how the Texans have fared when inducting key members into the Ring of Honor. Everybody wants a win on those days, but sometimes it doesn’t come to pass.

Here is a look at the Texans’ record in Ring of Honor games.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says Texans founder Bob McNair was ‘Mr. Wonderful’

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones complimented Bob McNair, the late founder of the Houston Texans, as being “Mr. Wonderful.”

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ fondness for Houston Texans founder Bob McNair is well documented. Jones was even in attendance for McNair’s memorial service at NRG Stadium on Dec. 7, 2018, after McNair passed away following a battle with skin cancer.

Jones, who has a twice-a-week radio segment in Dallas, referred to McNair as “Mr. Wonderful.”

“Total, complete person, man; self-made,” Jones told “K&C Masterpiece” on 105.3 “The Fan” [KRLD-FM] in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Basically came to Houston. I think he was principally in the automobile business early. Just absolutely beat it right out of the ground, and I don’t know that I met anybody that spent any time around that didn’t have have wonderful things to say about him.”

Jones said McNair was admired throughout the NFL for his commitment to bring a franchise back to Houston following the departure of the Houston Oilers in 1997.

“He was a real leader throughout the years in the NFL; well respected,” Jones said. “Everybody knew what he had done to put that Houston team, to put it back into football. I wanted so much for him to have success, for the Houston Texans to be everything they could be.

“A lot of people would think, ‘Well, you have all those Cowboys fans. Why don’t you just keep it Cowboys?’ Well, first of all, I don’t have that wish, but I don’t have that ability. But Houston deserves football.”

Week 14 will be the first game in the regular season series that McNair will not witness. The Cowboys hold a 3-2 edge over the Texans. Houston got the first win in the series on Sept. 8, 2002, in their inaugural game at then-Reliant Stadium. The Texans also have the most recent win in the series as they beat the Cowboys Oct. 7 in overtime at NRG Stadium.

The Texans kickoff at 12:00 p.m. Central Time against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Former Texans president Jamey Rootes passes away at age 56

Former Houston Texans president Jamey Rootes passed away at the age of 56.

Former Houston Texans president Jamey Rootes passed away at the age of 56 Monday night.

Rootes was the first president of the franchise and retired in February 2021. Rootes was responsible for the business operation of the Texans and worked closely with founder Bob McNair.

The Texans released a statement following the passing of Rootes.

“We are heartbroken to learn that former Houston Texans President Jamey Rootes has passed away,” a statement from the McNair family read. “For two decades, Jamey led our business operations with an unwavering commitment to Houston and the Houston Texans. We are grateful for his steadfast leadership and immeasurable contributions to our team. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Jamey’s wife, Melissa, and their two children during this extremely difficult time.”

According to John McClain, Rootes got his start with the Texans based on a recommendation from former Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt.

 

According to ABC 13 [KTRK-TV], Rootes’ wife, Melissa Wildgen Rootes said her husband passed away on Sunday after “a battle with mental health issues.”

“Jamey was best known for his devotion to his family and friends but was also former President of Houston Texans, retiring in 2021,” Rootes wrote. “Our family is requesting privacy and will not be responding to media inquiries. The details of a celebration of Jamey’s life will be announced at a later date. If you or a loved are thinking about suicide, or experiencing a health crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline right now at 1-800-273-8255.”

After leaving the Texans, Rootes got back into pro soccer by joining the Houston Dynamo. Rootes also taught at Sam Houston State and joined the faculty at Rice a week prior to his death.

Gary Kubiak says Texans had to ‘do everything right’ in 2006

Former Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak says the team still had to focus on getting the details right in his early days despite the lack of victories.

The 2021 Houston Texans have some parallels to the 2006 team that Gary Kubiak took over: double-digit losses the year before, rookie coach, and a roster devoid of star power.

Although Kubiak at the time was an offensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos, who were the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and were a game away from the Super Bowl that season, the former St. Pius X and Texas A&M product relished the chance to come back home to Houston and revitalize the city’s NFL presence.

“I had great respect for Dom Capers and the job that he did to take on a starter franchise,” Kubiak told Drew Dougherty in a feature on HoustonTexans.com. “The one thing about the NFL is that you can do everything right. It’s still hard to win. But the thing we have to do is go do everything right and see if we can make it happen. So, we had our work cut out for us in year one.”

The Texans went 6-10 in 2006 and started out the season with an 0-3 mark. However, one of those wins was a 27-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, who would go on to win the Super Bowl that season.

Said Kubiak: “We beat the world champs, which I think that was huge for the city, for [founder] Bob (McNair), for everybody, saying we’re doing this right. We had our steps along the way to get to where we were going. It’s a great business, but it’s so hard.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIvklhQCPPA

According to Kubiak, a difference of eight to 10 plays is what can separate a seven-win team from an 11-win team.

Although the 59-year-old is presently inactive in coaching, Kubiak, who compiled a 61-64 record with a 2-2 postseason mark in Houston, is pleased to see he left the Texans with the franchise having greater expectations than when he arrived.

“To see Houston now making the playoffs throughout these past few years and having some really good teams, the expectations there are tremendous now,” Kubiak said. “So, I like to think that we were all part of those expectations, and that’s a good thing. Because that’s why you do what you do.”

Texans legendary WR Andre Johnson to be inducted in Houston Sports Hall of Fame

Former Texans receiver Andre Johnson will be inducted into the 2021 Houston Sports Hall of Fame.

Andre Johnson is adding another hall of fame induction to his resume.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Sports Hall of Fame announced Thursday they will be inducting the Houston Texans Ring of Honor receiver in April 2021. Other members of the 2021 class include Houston Astros standouts Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Houston Cougars “Phi Slamma Jamma” coach Guy V. Lewis, and Houston Cougars head football coach Bill Yeoman.

“It’s a great,’’ Johnson said. “It speaks to the accomplishments I’ve had during my career. I’m very surprised, and I’m excited about it.’’

Johnson was inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor in 2017 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

The former No. 3 pick in the 2003 NFL Draft stayed with the Texans through the 2014 season, catching 1,012 passes for 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns, all three of which are franchise records.

Johnson will join late founder Bob McNair as the only two Texans in the Houston Sports Hall of Fame, which has Oilers legends in running back Earl Campbell and quarterback Dan Pastorini.

Vic Fangio told Bob McNair the Texans would beat the Cowboys in franchise’s first game

Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio told Houston Texans founder Bob McNair the team would beat the Dallas Cowboys in their first game ever.

Vic Fangio spent many years as a defensive coordinator in numerous NFL cities before he got his first crack at head coaching with the Denver Broncos in 2019.

One of Fangio’s five stops as a defensive coordinator was with the Houston Texans from 2002-05. Prior to the club’s first game in franchise history against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 8, 2002, Fangio told club founder Bob McNair that the expansion franchise would get its first win on ESPN Sunday Night Football to kickoff the regular season.

“I remember telling Bob McNair the day of the game that we were going to beat them, which is kind of out of character for me to make a prediction, so I’m glad we held true,” Fangio told Houston media on a conference call Wednesday.

According to Fangio, McNair replied back to him that he hoped his prediction would come true. Fangio’s declaration proved correct as the Texans prevailed 19-10 over the Cowboys at NRG Stadium, which was Reliant Stadium from 2002-13.

Though Fangio enjoyed his time in Houston restarting the city’s interest in pro football after the Oilers left town after the 1996 season, Fangio, who was also the defensive coordinator for the expansion Carolina Panthers from 1995-98, doesn’t recommend coaching for first-year franchises.

“I enjoyed my time in Houston,” Fangio said. “Obviously, it was an expansion team at the time, and I don’t recommend expansion teams anymore to anybody. But I enjoyed my time in Houston and living there. My kids remember Houston fondly. It was a good time for me. We just didn’t win enough for a multitude of reasons.”

Fangio is looking for a win against his old team Sunday at noon CT. The Broncos defense will have their hands full trying to stop a Texans offense led by quarterback Deshaun Watson that is 10th in the NFL with 24.4 points per game.