Texans' McNair regrets apologizing for 'inmates running the prison' comment

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair was the focal point of criticism directed at NFL owners last season after saying "we can't have the inmates running the prison" at a league meeting reportedly in reference to player protests.

Now that he's had some time to reflect, he doesn't regret saying them - he only wishes he didn't apologize for the remarks.

McNair claimed the comments were not in reference to the players, but rather workers at the league office who he felt had more control of the NFL than the owners. Regardless, he claims the public overreacted over a lack of understanding.

"The main thing I regret is apologizing," McNair told Andrew Beaton of the Wall Street Journal, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "I really didn't have anything to apologize for ...

"In business, it’s a common expression. But the general public doesn’t understand it, perhaps."

McNair's comments were met with disdain by players around the league and on his own team. Left tackle Duane Brown, who said McNair also expressed unhappiness for Barack Obama's election in 2008, was among the most vocal on the Texans' roster at the time, but was traded to the Seattle Seahawks midseason. McNair denied Brown's account from 2008 and insinuated that the now-Seahawks left tackle shouldn't be trusted.

"I don't go into meetings and express views like that," McNair said about Obama's election. "I never said that. (Brown) has no problem saying things that are not true."

Brown appeared to respond to McNair's comments with a subtweet on Thursday.