The typically private world of National Football League (NFL) ownership has been thrust into the public spotlight due to a fierce and costly family dispute. At its heart is Janice McNair, the 89-year-old widow of franchise founder Bob McNair, who controls the trust that owns the Houston Texans. What was once a private family matter has now escalated into a multi-state legal war, offering a rare glimpse into the powerful mechanisms that govern America's most popular sports league.
The Inheritance and the Power Structure
Janice McNair's position stems from inheritance. Following the death of her husband Bob in 2018, she inherited his controlling 80% stake in the Houston Texans. Bob McNair had originally purchased the NFL franchise in 1999 for $700 million, using funds from the sale of his energy company, Cogen Technologies, to Enron earlier that year. At the time of his passing, the Texans' valuation had skyrocketed to an estimated $2.8 billion.
While Janice McNair holds the majority ownership through the trust, she does not run the team's day-to-day football operations. That responsibility, and a key piece of the current conflict, lies with the NFL's official recognition of a 'principal owner.' In 2024, the league approved her son, Cal McNair, as the Texans' principal owner, granting him final authority under NFL regulations. This approval is a central point in the lawsuit filed by her eldest son, Cary McNair, who alleges this move was used to edge him out of the family business.
A "Legally Baseless" Fight: The NFL Steps In
The conflict reached a new level on December 13, 2025, when the NFL itself filed a motion in the New York Supreme Court seeking to dismiss Cary McNair's lawsuit. The league's legal counsel did not mince words, labelling the case as "legally baseless and factually incoherent." The NFL's position is clear: this is a family dispute that has no place in a court of law against the league.
In its filing, the NFL argued that Cary McNair failed to link his removal from family business roles to any breach of contract or wrongful conduct by the league. It stated that the NFL merely approved a routine ownership change as per its constitution and had no hand in the internal decisions of the McNair family or their private companies. The league views the lawsuit as an attempt to relitigate issues already settled in other courts.
Scandals, Suspensions, and a $100 Million Demand
Cary McNair's lawsuit, spearheaded by attorney Tony Buzbee, is seeking more than $100 million in damages. The claims are explosive. The suit alleges the NFL interfered to silence Cary after he raised concerns about various scandals linked to the Texans. One such issue involved minority owner Javier Loya, who was accused of sexual abuse in Kentucky in 2023. Loya later entered an Alford plea in April to a reduced charge of harassment. The NFL recently announced Loya's indefinite suspension for violating its personal conduct policy.
This legal battle has deeper roots. In November 2023, Cary McNair had petitioned a Harris County Probate Court to have his mother, Janice McNair, declared incapacitated following a stroke she suffered in January 2022. The court ruled in Janice's favour, and Cary dropped the case. Subsequently, he was removed from the family trust and its business operations.
Tony Buzbee remains publicly confident, noting that motions to dismiss often fail. However, the NFL's aggressive move signals its desire to end the matter swiftly. The court's decision will determine whether Janice McNair's name remains embroiled in public legal drama or recedes back into the private realm of NFL ownership. The outcome will also set a precedent for how the league handles internal family governance disputes among its elite club of team owners.
