A new report claims that Houston Texans owner Janice McNair is now in the midst of a legal battle with one of her sons over control of the NFL franchise her husband created.
The last year has been a high point for the Texans franchise. After three straight seasons that saw the team rack up double-digit losses, the organization made a pair of moves that now have them set up to potentially be a powerhouse in the AFC for the next decade.
Related: 2023 NFL stats- Final regular season stats leaders for the Houston Texans
The first was deciding to make former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans their next head coach. The other was to take Ohio State star CJ Stroud with their top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The combo of Ryans creating a new winning culture and the quarterback’s wildly successful rookie season has brought the franchise back to prominence and the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
It has been a long process for the organization to get on the other side of the ugly off-field situation with former star Deshaun Watson and get back to being a competitive team. Furthermore, this season has been without a doubt the biggest period of success since Janice McNair and her son Cal took over the franchise following the passing of her husband, Texans founder Bob McNair, in 2018.
Family feud for control of the Houston Texans began in November
However, the 87-year-old’s run of success could be short-lived due to an apparent attempt to usurp the Houston thrown by McNair’s other son Cary. On Tuesday, Click 2 Houston revealed that the CEO of McNair Industries “is seeking to have his mother declared incapacitated and have a guardian appointed,” according to Harris County probate court documents.
After the original filing, Janice McNair and her son Cal, the chairman and CEO of the Houston Texans, filed a counter affidavit and asked that the litigation be kept sealed over fears the dispute would have a “serious impact on the Texans.”
“The details of this family dispute becoming public will have a serious impact on the Texans. It will create a needless and baseless media stir regarding the ownership and direction of the Texans, thereby negatively affecting our employees, business partners, and the team.
“Immediate and irreparable harm will result if the records continue to be accessible to the public until notice can be posted and a hearing held on the Motion because my confidential information will be picked up and shared by a third party in the interim.”
– Cal McNair
The McNair family is trying to keep secret “medical history and information, financial information, including assets … and relationships among the McNair family.” Janice McNair claimed in her response Cary was “seeking to limit or terminate my rights and appoint himself as guardian of my estate.”
Cary McNair’s filing reportedly was made on Nov. 27. Cal has been the primary leader of the organization since his father’s passing. The franchise is allegedly worth as much as $5.5 billion.