'Too Harsh!' Texans CEO Cal McNair Opens Up About Pick Forfeiture

Cal McNair had plenty to say about the Texans being forced to forfeit their fifth-round draft pick.

As the Houston Texans continue in their rebuild and efforts to retool their roster, they do so with a plethora of draft picks in next month's NFL draft. 

However, they will enter the draft without a fifth-round pick after it was ruled that they violated the salary cap after providing former quarterback Deshaun Watson an off-site facility due to NRG Stadium being closed during the pandemic, violating COVID-19 protocols. 

While one fifth-round pick might not seem like a major loss, Texans owner Cal McNair did not mince words when telling the Houston Chronicle how he felt about the decision.

“We did argue and stated our case several times through the appeals process,” McNair said. “There was a little more informal appeal process before the formal appeals process, and I made several calls because I felt the penalty was too harsh for what happened."

"At the end of the day, it is what it is, and we’re looking forward to having all of this behind us and moving forward.”

The loss of a fifth-round pick, while seemingly insignificant, could have been a major blow for the Texans if they didn't already have a treasure trove of picks to use in the upcoming draft. 

Every pick matters, though, and there is no doubt McNair and the Texans would love to have their fifth-round pick back.

---

You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

Want the latest in breaking and insider news for the Houston Texans? Click Here

Follow Texans Daily on Twitter and Facebook

Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @LockedOnTexans today! Click here To Listen.

Want even more Houston Texans news? Check out the SI.com team page here.