The majority of the Houston Texans players took a knee in protest during the national anthem after Texans owner Bob McNair made controversial comments during an NFL owners meeting.
McNair, according to an ESPN report last week, said that “we can’t have the inmates running the prison.”
McNair later apologized for the comment, issuing two public statements on the matter.
“I know they were upset,” he told the Houston Chronicle about meeting with the players. “I wanted to answer their questions. I told them if I had it to do over again I wouldn’t use that expression.”
According to the Washington Post, here is the full apology:
“As I said yesterday, I was not referring to our players when I made a very regretful comment during the owners meetings last week. I was referring to the relationship between the league office and team owners and how they have been making significant strategic decisions affecting our league without adequate input from ownership over the past few years.
“I am truly sorry to the players for how this has impacted them and the perception that it has created of me which could not be further from the truth. Our focus going forward, personally and as an organization, will be towards making meaningful progress regarding the social issues that mean so much to our players and our community.”
During the NFL owners meetings, no policy was enacted that would force players to stand.
