Houston Texans owner history: full list and timeline

The Houston Texans brought football back to the Gulf Coast region in 2002 when the team officially took the field during its inaugural season. The team was awarded to entrepreneur Robert "Bob" McNair in 2000, and from there he did all he could to build the team into a winner. While the playoff success was limited, he did oversee the team's acquisition of several of the most impressive players on the team.

During his tenure, Andre Johnson, Duane Brown, Mario Williams, J.J. Watt, DeAndre Hopkins, Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans, and DeAndre Hopkins all arrived in Houston to try and put the team on the map. The squad had intermittent success during his tenure, and while McNair was at the center of some minor controversies, the team was largely successful during his ownership.

Sadly, McNair passed away in 2018, and the team then went to his wife, Janice. For the next six years, Janice McNair ran the franchise. During her tenure, the team faced some of its greatest hurdles and controversies. There was the terrible trade of Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals, that essentially ended Bill O'Brien's tenure as head coach and general manager of the club. Then of course there was the constant losing and rebuilding. Yet, the worst of it had to be the Deshaun Watson sexual assault accusations and subsequent scandal.

The team went through an array of issues during those turbulent years, but eventually, the team would get ironed out. Ryans, a former linebacker for the team would be hired as the squad's head coach. Then the club would draft C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson, pillars of the team for what fans are hoping are years to come. The club then found its second win with those two youngsters (among others) leading the way, and the team returned to glory in the 2023 season.

Issues with Janice's health arose during the 2023 season, however, and in-fighting began. Some claimed she was no longer cognitively fit to run the team, with her son Robert McNair Jr. filing for guardianship over his mother. Janice and her other son Cal McNair argued in defense of Janice, which ultimately saw the case thrown out.

Not long after, however, Janice named Cal the principal owner of the Texans franchise.