Janice McNair, along with her husband, Bob, worked to bring the NFL back to Houston after the Oilers left for Tennessee following the 1996 season. Troy Taormina / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
July 14, 2026 Updated 5:35 pm EDT
The Houston Texans announced that team co-founder Janice S. McNair died Tuesday in Houston. She was 89.
The team did not reveal a cause of death, saying that she “passed away peacefully in Houston this afternoon with her family by her side.”
“Outside of our family, nothing mattered more to her than her beloved Texans,” Texans CEO and principal owner Cal McNair said in a statement. “I remain honored to lead this franchise and build on the foundation my parents set when they brought football back to Houston.”
Along with her husband, Bob McNair, Janice worked in the late 1990s to bring the NFL back to Houston after the Oilers left for Tennessee following the 1996 season. Janice held principal ownership of the Texans with Bob until the latter died in 2018. Janice transferred ownership to her son, Cal, in 2024.
“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,” Cal continued in his statement. “While I’m heartbroken, I take great comfort in knowing she is now reunited with my dad, her favorite teammate.”
“Mom leaves an indelible mark on our family, our team, and our community…” pic.twitter.com/dH3KOrMrKT
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) July 14, 2026
Five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who won three defensive player of the year awards while playing for the Texans, paid tribute to Janice McNair in a post on X, writing: “Rest in Peace Janice. All of us who were graced with your presence and kindness are better for it.”
Janice is survived by four children, 16 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Jul 14, 2026
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