Tag: Cal McNair

Cal McNair treats Texans fans with second annual ‘Cal’s Cookout’

Houston Texans chairman Cal McNair took part in the second annual “Cal’s Cookout” where he grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for fans.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans and the McNairs had a special treat for fans after the last open practice Thursday.

Chairman and CEO Cal McNair and his wife Hannah, the Houston Texans Foundation Vice President, provided free hamburgers and hot dogs as part of “Cal’s Cookout,” presented by H-E-B. It was the second consecutive year the Texans provided meals for the fans as a token of appreciation for their support of the team.

“It feels great anytime we are around the fans,” said Cal McNair as he took a break from the grill to talk with the media. “We see the fans out here day after day during open practice, and we just wanted to show our appreciation.”

Texans Wire beat reporter Brian Barefield joined Mr. McNair on the grill along with Sports Radio 610 hosts Ron Hughley and Sean Pendergast.

After back-to-back days of joint practices against the Miami Dolphins, the Texans will have a day off before playing their preseason home opener on Saturday at NRG Stadium against the Dolphins. It will be the first time the fans will see rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud outside of the practice field. He was named the starter by Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after practice on Thursday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Houston Texans announce 8 open practices for 2023 training camp

The Houston Texans kickoff training camp July 28. Here is a look at their eight open practices for 2023.

The Houston Texans announced eight open practices during their 2023 training camp.

The Texans kickoff camp on July 26. The open practices are free and open to the public.

All practices start at around 9:00 a.m. Central Time save for Aug. 5, which is a 6:00 p.m. practice.

“There is a lot of energy and excitement surrounding our team right now and we’re really looking forward to training camp,” Texans chair and CEO Cal McNair said in a statement. “Coach Ryans talks about ‘iron sharpening iron’ during our practices, so it will be great to see the guys competing hard, including when we hold joint practices with the Dolphins and Saints. This is a critical time of the year for our team to improve and work toward our ultimate goal of winning. Fans are also at the heart of everything we do, and training camp is a terrific time to celebrate and connect with them. Our team is made by H-Town and we can’t wait for July 26.”

All fans will have the opportunity to claim free tickets to practices beginning Thursday, June 29 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time through Ticketmaster.com. A limited number of tickets available per day and it is anticipated tickets will go quickly.

Season ticket holders will receive an email with further details on their registration, and are advised to visit the 2023 Training Camp page for more information.

The 2023 NFL Fan of the Year contest kickoffs off during Back Together Weekend. The initiative celebrates extraordinary fans whose devotion, contributions to their team, connection to the game and overall story serve as an inspiration to others.

The Texans’ nominee for Fan of the Year will be announced in November, and will receive two tickets to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, a game program, and two custom jerseys, along with other prizes. The 2023 NFL Fan of the Year will be announced during Super Bowl weekend.

All training camp practices are subject to short-notice changes and adjustments based on weather and/or football operations’ decisions. Follow the Houston Texans’ social media channels for up-to-date information.

Here is a look at the open practices along with each theme:

Friday, July 28 First Open Practice
Sunday, July 30 Texans Legends Day
Friday, August 4 Military & First Responders Appreciation
Saturday, August 5 Night Practice
Tuesday, August 8 Community Day
Sunday, August 13 Limited Edition Merch Launch
Wednesday, August 16 Joint Practice with the Dolphins
Thursday, August 17 Cookout with Cal presented by H-E-B

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

Texans’ Janice McNair still taking active role with team

Houston Texans senior chair and principal owner Janice McNair is still very much a part of the team despite Cal McNair being more well known.

When Houston Texans founder Bob McNair passed away in November 2018, chairman and CEO Cal McNair started to become more of the public face of the franchise. In the past two years, Texans Foundation vice president Hannah McNair also become part of the presentation of ownership.

However, Texans senior chair and principal owner Janice McNair is still taking an active part in the operations of the franchise.

Janice McNair, 86, was at Texans mandatory minicamp June 13 and took in the practice at Houston Methodist Training Center.

“It’s very cool,” Cal McNair said. “She loves the team, loves football and couldn’t wait to get out here. So, we’re excited to have her.”

Minicamp wasn’t the only Texans football event that Janice McNair attended this offseason.

Said Hannah McNair: “She was in the draft room. She loved it. She loves this. This is her other family. We’re all her family. She’s just as passionate about this as anybody. Her and Bob brought this here, so I would say they’re excited.”

The McNairs have also used the stage of pro football to give back to the greater Houston area. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Janice McNair pledged $1 million as part of rent relief.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=46914089]

Texans chairman Cal McNair says team is ‘coming along really well’ with DeMeco Ryans

Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair is pleased with the progress thus far under new coach DeMeco Ryans.

The Houston Texans went in a new direction for the third time in as many seasons as they sought a new coach.

Rather than going with an older coach who had experience, the Texans went with a younger coach who was taking his first shot as the man in charge on the sidelines.

Nothing energized the Texans organization and fan base more than the hiring of former two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans. Not only was “Cap” a fan favorite, but he was a formidable defensive coordinator in his own right with the San Francisco 49ers, who had appeared in the NFC Championship Game from 2021-22.

Four and a half months into the Ryans era, chairman and CEO Cal McNair can see the changes on the field — albeit artificial turf at Houston Methodist Training Center at that.

“The team is getting better,” McNair said at mandatory minicamp Tuesday. “That’s really what we want to see through this time period. What he says is iron sharpens iron, so, he has the guys working against each other, trying to get better. We’re looking forward to getting to training camp which is where it really gets started for the season. It’s coming along really well.”

Although Ryans is the reigning AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year and his wheelhouse is defense, McNair is fascinated by the potential on the other side with new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

“I love the offense,” said McNair. “I’m a big fan of this offense. Excited to see the defense come together, under DeMeco. Watching the team really come together is really exciting for me because it’s all about the team coming together and playing great ball.”

The last time the Texans avoided a double-digit losing season was 2019. While the prospects are more difficult in the 17th game era, stacking more than four wins a season would be a welcomed product for Clutch City sports fans.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

Houston Texans take No. 6 in Forbes’ list of most profitable sports franchises worldwide

The Houston Texans are the sixth-most profitable sports franchise in the world according to the latest valuations from Forbes.

The Houston Texans may have been atrocious on the field, but their earnings away from the game have been world class.

According to Mike Ozanian from Forbes, the Texans are the sixth-most profitable sports franchise in the world with $356 million banked over the past three years.

The NFL team at the northern terminus of Interstate 45 was the most profitable with $1.2 billion. The New England Patriots were second at $623 million. Among NFL teams, the Texans are the third-most profitable.

Coming in at No. 3 overall on the list was Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur at $414 million. Manchester United was No. 5 at $403 million.

Across the rest of the NFL, the New York Giants were No. 9 at $333 million. The Los Angeles Rams were No. 11 at $318 million. Washington — still owned by Dan Snyder — came in No. 13 at $290 million. The Chicago Bears were No. 15 at $288 million. The Jacksonville Jaguars were No. 17 at $281 million.

All of the NFC East’s teams were represented on the list.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

Houston Texans wear orange to remember Uvalde, support National Gun Violence Awareness Day

“We decided to wear orange shirts ahead of “Wear Orange Day” in a couple of days in support of, first and foremost, the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde school shooting,” said coach Ryans

HOUSTON — As I made my way into the gates of the Houston Texans practice field at the Methodist Training Center on Wednesday, I noticed the back of the t-shirts being worn by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Cal McNair and his wife Hannah, vice president of the Texans Foundation. 

The white cursive font that stood out on the bright orange shirts had only one word that will never be forgotten in the state of Texas or the nation.

Uvalde.

As I continued to look around the field, I noticed that head coach DeMeco Ryans, general manager Nick Caserio, assistant coaches, players, and staff members were also wearing the shirts in unison.

The Texans organization wore the shirts in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Day, observed on the first Friday in June. It originated on June 2, 2015, in honor of Hadiya Pendleton, 15, who was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago, Illinois, on January 29, 2013. 

One year ago, the nation mourned as a gunman killed 19 children and two educators at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. The Houston Texans, along with volunteers and sponsors, made their way toward the city to help the families of the victims and the city as they mourned over the tragic incident. 

They also honored the victims of the Uvalde Elementary school shooting before their season opener against the Indianapolis Colts last season. Players from the Uvalde high school football team were in attendance as the team wore “Uvalde Strong” decals on their helmets. The Texans organization and players donated $600,000 to the Robb Elementary School memorial fund.

“We decided to wear orange shirts ahead of “Wear Orange Day” in a couple of days in support of, first and foremost, the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde school shooting,” said coach Ryans when asked about the meaning of the shirts. “We want to make sure that we support that situation and just the senseless gun violence that is going on. We want to use our voice as an organization and as a team to make sure that we put an end to it.”

“It’s senseless shootings that are going on around our country that sometimes we can just grow numb to it because it happens so often. We just have to bring awareness to it and understand the severity of the situation, where a lot of kids, unfortunately, are losing their lives to something that senseless, and we just make sure we support and get out in front of it. As I told our players this morning, it’s bigger than just being great football players. I want our guys to understand that we’re more than just players. We’re also great men, great leaders in our communities, and our guys are in support of it, and I’m proud of the way they represented from last year, seeing it from afar, all the way up until now.”

Coach Ryans also has felt the effects of gun violence personally after losing family members to the senseless act as recently as last week. With the rise of school shootings in the United States, Ryans thinks about the safety of his three young children when they are in class.

“I have three young kids,” Ryans said. “So, when you send your kids off to school, and you have to even have that thought in the back of my mind that man, ‘are my kids going to be safe, am I going to see them’, it’s not the mindset you want to have when you’re dropping your kids off at school. For all of us, it’s something we shouldn’t have to worry about, it’s something we shouldn’t have to discuss, but it’s here. We want to make sure we bring awareness to it because it is a real issue that hits home for a lot of people.”

[lawrence-related id=83409,83407]

[mm-video type=video id=01h1q80tk4ybq1rdgbem playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01h1q80tk4ybq1rdgbem/01h1q80tk4ybq1rdgbem-e85f2846f990dfca88ea732fe5f14248.jpg]

Report: Texans uniform redesign is ‘on track’

The Houston Texans are reportedly “on track” with their uniform redesigns.

The Houston Texans are on schedule with their uniform redesigns.

According to Greg Bailey from ABC 13 [KTRK-TV], the Texans have three new uniforms coming and are still on track to have the uniforms in time for the 2024 season.

Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair and Texans Foundation vice president Hannah McNair indicated that there is a third uniform referred to as “the other.”

It is anyone’s guess as to what the third uniform would be. Houston sports fans may still hold out hope that the Texans in some way honor the Houston Oilers with a color scheme reminiscent of the “Luv Ya Blue” era.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair says QB C.J. Stroud will ‘earn his spot’

Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair says rookie QB C.J. Stroud won’t be handed a starting job, but that he will have to “earn his spot.”

The Houston Texans using their No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft to select C.J. Stroud signaled the beginning of a new era at quarterback.

However, just because the Texans made a significant capital investment doesn’t mean that Stroud won’t have to prove himself.

Cal McNair fielded questions ahead of the club’s 20th annual charity golf tournament Monday, and the chairman and CEO echoed a sentiment similar to what general manager Nick Caserio shared.

“I think that’s up to him and how he plays and the coaches, how they see him,” McNair said via Aaron Wilson of KPRC-TV. “He’ll earn his spot, wherever that is. And he’ll feel like he’s earned it, and the team will feel like he’s earned wherever he winds up.”

The competition shouldn’t be too stiff for a talented passer such as Stroud. Houston has third-year Davis Mills along with 12-year journeyman Case Keenum on the roster. The Texans also claimed E.J. Perry off waivers earlier in the offseason.

In Stroud’s introductory press conference on April 28, the former Buckeye understood nothing would be handed to him, and he relished the challenge.

“I know nothing is going to be given to me,” Stroud said. “Everything has to be earned. That’s how it’s been my whole life. That’s how it’s going to continue to be. That’s what makes me a great player. I’m excited to get started.”

The Texans raised over $415,000 for charities supported by the team, which include, but are not limited to, the Boys & Girls Club, Houston Food Bank and YMCA.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

C.J. Stroud says agent David Mulugheta ‘told me a lot of great things’ about the Texans

QB C.J. Stroud says that his agent, David Mulugheta, had positive things to tell his client about the Houston Texans.

Most Clutch City sports fans know who David Mulugheta is, and that is why there was some doubt the Houston Texans would take C.J. Stroud.

Mulugheta is the agent for the Texans’ previous franchise quarterback, who had an otherwise messy departure from Houston. The saga kept the Texans in a phantom zone for the first season of general manager Nick Caserio’s tenure.

However, it appears bygones may be bygones in the Stroud era. The former Ohio State signal caller says Mulugheta has been positive about the organization.

“He’s told me a lot of great things,” Stroud said on a Zoom with Houston media. “He told me Nick Caserio is a great GM, the McNairs are great ownership, and thank you to them for giving me this opportunity. So, he had a lot of positive things to say and I’m excited to get to work, and I’m super excited to be a Texan.”

Stroud is the first quarterback taken in the first round by Houston since 2017 when they took Mulugheta’s other client.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

Cal McNair says Texans are asking for a lot from next QB

Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair is well aware of how much the franchise will ask of their next quarterback.

The last three significant needs on the Houston Texans’ roster are quarterback, receiver, and defensive end.

One can argue as to the placement of receiver and defensive end, but neither will supplant quarterback as the top position on the roster. Assuredly Houston’s No. 2 overall pick will be used on whoever the Carolina Panthers don’t take at quarterback atop the 2023 NFL draft.

Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair spoke with reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix and acknowledged that the organization will undoubtedly have great expectations on their next young signal caller.

“So much is asked for the quarterback position,” McNair said via Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV. “Winning, of course, is part of it, leading the team, being the face of the franchise. Saying all these things, it’s a lot that we’re asking for from this guy. So, we are looking forward to having all of those things in place. However we get there, I’m not sure how we’re going to get there, but looking forward to it.”

Coach DeMeco Ryans said the Texans would bring in Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State signal caller C.J. Stroud for a visit inside NRG Stadium. The Texans can better clarify their expectations during such meetings.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]