Bill O'Brien continues to show he is on the right side in supporting the black community

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien continues to be part of the change for the black community with his actions supporting his own team through the years.

Head coach Bill O'Brien has always been working on backing his players when it comes to real-life situations. 

"I've told my players since 2014 that I have their back," O'Brien explained. "I told my players in 2017, "I have your back," and I'll continue to tell them that I have their back."

Since O'Brien arrived in 2014, he has been put under the microscope as the head coach. When it comes to the racial undertones of the United States, O'Brien has stood up for the black community when many in his profession would not. 

With the NFL reeling due to quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality, President Donald Trump, during a political rally in Huntsville, Alabama, made strong statements against kneeling during the national anthem. 

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners," Trump said to his supporters at the rally. "When somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired! He's fired!'"

His first test came when former Texans owner Bob McNair during Oct. 18, 2017, a meeting attended by NFL owners, player union representatives, and team executives. With players looking for ways to make a stand not only against Trump's comments but to continue to protest against police brutality to exercise their right to freedom of expression. 

McNair, during that meeting, said, "We can't have the inmates running the prison."

With that comment making it to the media, it set off a firestorm that set off the NFL and put the Texans organization under the microscope with McNair's comments. Former players Duane Brown and Johnathan Joseph became the most outspoken against the comments from McNair. 

O'Brien, with Romeo Crennel and former Texans general manager Rick Smith, held an emergency meeting with the team to address the McNair's comments to listen to the players. 

DeAndre Hopkins left the facility and did not practice to start their week in preparation for the Seattle Seahawks. The Texans met as a team before the Seahawks game to discuss how they would protest, as a team, McNair's comments. 

O'Brien leading up to kickoff did not know what the players were going to do after a team meeting, but he supported whatever they chose to do before the game. 

Deshaun Watson / Troy Wayrynen-USA Today

The Texans team opted to kneel as a team, minus about ten players, after O'Brien after the game said about the kneeling, "I support my players 100 percent. I love my players. I support them 100 percent."

In 2018, O'Brien at the annual owner's meeting in Miami, Florida during the coaches' breakfast backed players and their beliefs.

"My personal opinion – and I really believe this – is that players have the right to express themselves," O'Brien said at the coaches' breakfast. "We have very smart players who feel strongly about social issues. I believe in our players' right to express themselves. I respect everybody's opinion on this matter."

After a 20-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans later in the year, quarterback Deshaun Watson was criticized for being a black quarterback.

Despite going 22 of 32 and throwing for 310 yards with two touchdowns and an interception that came in the first quarter, Watson had a solid game. 

Former Onalaska superintendent Lynn Redden posted on the Houston Chronicle's Facebook page shortly after the loss. 

"That may have been the most inept quarterback decision I've seen in the NFL. When you need precision decision making, you can't count on a black quarterback."

O'Brien caught wind of the comment, and the following media session defended Watson from Redden's remarks. 

"I don't want to waste a lot of time responding to outdated, inaccurate, ignorant, idiotic statements," O'Brien said. "I'll just let Deshaun's proven success on the field, his character off the field, speak for itself. He's one of the greatest guys I've ever coached, and he represents everything that's right about football, that's right about life."

O'Brien continued, "His teammates respect him, this coaching staff respects him and, in this day and age, it's just amazing that B.S. exists. But it does. But we're moving forward and, our fans, they love Deshaun, and we're really concentrating on the Giants. But I felt like I wasted about a minute and a half responding to that B.S."

With many critical eyes on the Texans since the McNair comments in 2017, O'Brien has opened the doors to players like Kenny Stills, who actively and peacefully protests during the national anthem. With the addition of Michael Thomas, who was part of the original group of players who protested in 2016, O'Brien has helped the organization turn the corner in allowing players to express themselves. 

Kenny Stills / Chuck Cook-USA Today

After the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, O'Brien gave a strong statement on where he stands. Mentioning police brutality, O'Brien did not shy away from the issues at hand and why the black community is upset with the current climate in the United States. 

"Our heart goes out to that family," O'Brien said of the Floyd family. "Our hearts go out to the black community in this country, especially in this city. We stand by you, and we are ready to do our part in this community. I think everyone has to admit their mistakes along the way. We all have to stand up and understand what's going on in this country right now is wrong. It's wrong relative to many, many things."

Mentioning learning from Romeo Crennel, Deshaun Watson and Kenny Stills, O'Brien has admitted he is listening to African-American's inside the Texans' building. 

O'Brien plans to attend and pay his respects in person. He has given the players, coaches, and staff the day off for Floyd's funeral to attend if they choose to. 

"It's not just police brutality," O'Brien added. "Although that's what we're talking about right now. It's corporate America. It's professional sports, it's the medical area, it's the legal area – it's everything. We all have to do our part. We all have to do it now."

The head coach's place is to win football games, and O'Brien has done his fair share since arriving at the Texans in 2014. He might have ruffled the feathers of past players that have left. The climate in the United States is not about football but about a real-life problem that he is willing to stand up and speak about as an NFL head coach. 

O'Brien continued to listen to his players and be part of the solution of a more significant issue than football. 

"We have to listen, we have to stand by the black community, and we've got to do our part."

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