Texans Owner Bob McNair on ‘Inmates Running the Prison’ Comment: ‘The Main Thing I Regret Is Apologizing’

Houston Texans Owner Bob McNair does not regret using the expression “inmates running the prison,” when referencing the NFL anthem protests last year. However, he does regret apologizing for using that expression.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, McNair said that he still does not see anything wrong in what he said. Nor, does the Texas billionaire believe that others should have told him to apologize for saying it.

“The main thing I regret is apologizing,” McNair said. According to the Journal, McNair claims the “inmates” reference was directed at NFL executives who were acting, in McNair’s view, as though they had more power than the owners. “I really didn’t have anything to apologize for.”

As to his choice of words, McNair said, “In business, it’s a common expression. But the general public doesn’t understand it, perhaps.”

McNair also took exception to the story former Texan Duane Brown told Pro Football Talk last year, about McNair’s conduct following the election of President Barack Obama in 2008.

Brown told PFT that McNair lamented Obama’s election in a team meeting. McNair claims that no such thing ever happened.

“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.”

According to Pro Football Talk, “McNair also denied talk that he would keep the Texans from signing players who kneeled for the national anthem. McNair says he does think, however, that politics should be kept off the football field. McNair’s own comments, however, may make the players who disagree with him decide they need to make their statements more strongly.”

Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn