Texans Owner Bob McNair Takes Back Apology For Inmates Comment

Texans owner Bob McNair backtracks on inmates in prison comment: “The main thing I regret is apologizing”

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair walked back his apology for his comment last year comparing NFL players to “inmates running the prison," a statement he made regarding players protesting by refusing to stand for the national anthem.

McNair immediately apologized for that comment after severe backlash, but has changed his tune since then.

“The main thing I regret is apologizing,” McNair said to the Wall Street Journal.

McNair claims the comments were directed towards NFL executives who felt he was exerting more power than the other owners.

“I really didn’t have anything to apologize for," McNair added. "We were talking about a number of things, but we were also washing some of our dirty linen, which you do internally. You don’t do that publicly. That’s what I was addressing: The relationship of owners and the league office. In business, it’s a common expression. But the general public doesn’t understand it, perhaps.”

McNair also denied making comments to the team after President Barack Obama was inaugurated in 2008.

Former Texans offensive lineman Duane Brown said that McNair's comments about Obama's win were: "I know a lot of y’all are happy right now, but it’s not the outcome that some of us were looking for."

"I don’t go into meetings and express views like that,” McNair said. “I never said that. He has no problem saying things that are not true.”

McNair did have to testify in the collusion grievance that was filed by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who claims the league's owners schemed to keep him off the football field because of his protests.