Janice McNair, the co-founder and Senior Chair of the Houston Texans, has died at 89.
The team announced her death Tuesday afternoon, marking the loss of one of the central figures behind the franchise that returned the NFL to Houston in 2002. McNair and her husband, Bob, founded the league’s 32nd team after the Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997.
Bob McNair died in 2018 at 81. After his death, Janice McNair became the team’s primary owner before handing that role to her son, Cal, in 2024.
Cal McNair paid tribute to his mother in a statement released by the team, calling her “Mom was exceptional,” and describing the values that shaped her life and the organization she helped build. “She exuded kindness, radiated joy, had an endless amount of hope and love, and lived an incredible life centered around faith, family, philanthropy and football.
It’s impossible to describe the profound gratitude that my sisters, Ruth and Melissa, and I feel for having her as our mom. Outside of our family, nothing mattered more to her than her beloved Texans.
I remain honored to lead this franchise and build on the foundation my parents set when they brought football back to Houston. Mom leaves an indelible mark on our family, our team and our community, and her giving spirit will always be embedded in the fabric of our organization.
While I’m heartbroken, I take great comfort in knowing she is now reunited with my dad, her favorite teammate.”
McNair is survived by four children, sixteen grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
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