Who is Cal McNair? Texans CEO apologizes over anti-Asian slur during team event

Cal McNair landed in hot water after it became known that he had used an anti-Asian slur during a team event. It is the latest racist incident that has the NFL ducking for cover. Cal McNair subsequently apologized for his choice of words.

We look at the journey that brought him to this juncture.

Cal McNair's journey before and with the Houston Texans

Cal McNair was born to Bob McNair and Janice McNair in 1961. Bob McNair was the founder of Cogen Technologies, and Cal McNair joined the concern in 1987. Since then, he has been associated with his father's business ventures.

Chief among them, in the sports world, is the ownership of the Houston Texans. Currently, his mother heads the organization after the death of her husband. He serves as the CEO of the organization.

Cal McNair became vice chairman of the Houston Texans in 2008 and progressed to becoming COO in 2012. He assumed more responsibilities in 2013 once his father was diagnosed with cancer. Since 2018, he has been serving as the CEO of the Houston Texans.

During his tenure as CEO, Cal McNair has shown a certain degree of ineptitude in footballing operations. It is currently manifest in the season the Houston Texans are presently having.

He has overseen the departure of many personnel, including general manager Brian Gaine and head coach Bill O'Brien. In 2020, the Houston Texans went 4-12, alienated star quarterback Deshaun Watson after not picking or even interviewing a general manager of his choice despite a promise, and lost other players such as J.J. Watt to other teams.

It could be said, though, that in the case of Deshaun Watson, Cal McNair inadvertently dodged a bullet with all the credible sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Cal McNair has carried his poor form into his speech as well now. It has been reported that he called the Coronavirus the "China Virus", implicating one particular community, which kind of goes against the very definition of a pandemic. Thankfully, he has had the good sense to apologize for his insensitive comments, which can have direct material consequences for people of Asian origin.

Houston Texans fans will be hoping that such belated wisdom will also befall on his footballing intelligence so that the Texans can regain a semblance of normalcy, if not outright victory, once again.