Houston Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair went to Reddit to answer questions from Texans fans - and nothing was off the table. Read the whole AMA here.
Question 1:
IuIuG40: At what point did you figure out that you wanted to hire Nick Caserio as GM and what made you want to go after him? Also, when will those shirts be on the online Texans shop?
Cal: I have wanted to hire Nick Caserio for years. I even got in trouble with the NFL. This was actually the third attempt by our organization to bring him to Houston.
Question 2:
thereelsuperman: Cal, who is a member of the organization that you don't feel gets nearly enough recognition?
Cal: My mom.
Question 3:
TheJigalo: I sit right below the owners box. For 2 years, I have waved at you every game that I see you and you have never waved back. Are you anti waving towards fan? If not, how does one get a wave back?
Cal: Not intentional at all! I love our fans and hope I get to meet you on Sunday. Stop by and say hello! Just know sometimes I'm watching the game :)
Question 4:
LindyNet: Would you ever consider changing the uniform designs? Not the colors, per se, but just the design of the uniforms? It may be the thing I hear most often.
Cal: It's definitely on the table! In fact, we have already engaged the NFL to better understand the process to formally start a fan research study and the timeline and guidelines if the fan research steered towards change. No promises but we will challenge everything, and we won't be afraid to evolve. Let me know what you hope to see!
Question 5:
TravelingFlipper: Thanks for hiring Nick.
Cal: You are welcome. I did it for you!
Question 6:
IDontCareForCats: What are you gaming on these days?
Cal: Zelda...just kidding. I saw that story floating around the internet and I got a laugh out of it but it's not true. I've never played video games in my office before and it's been an extremely long time since I played any video games. I've always had a little area with a TV, chair and remote in my office that allows me to watch film. I imagine that's what they saw that day and they were just confused.
Question 7:
tur_furgesonx: Why do you still employ Jack?
Cal: Jack helps Nick and Lovie from an operations and logistics perspective. We feel like everyone is in the right role and we're excited about the direction we're headed in.
Question 8:
tawild92: Are there any plans to do a jersey swap (especially for one particular player) for a free/discounted jersey of another player? Seems like a solid way to take care of the fans that have been through the ringer the last couple years.
Cal: Yes, we will do this in October so stay tuned for details!
Question 9:
cantsay: Are you a fan of the major motion picture Tommy Boy? It's one of my favorites!
Cal: I am and it's one of my favorites too. Didn't Tommy Boy save the company? That's how I remember that movie going down.
Question 10:
Rogercar07: Can we get someone else besides clay walker to sing the National Anthem? And can Paul Wall perform at every halftime?
Cal: What do you think about having Paul sing the anthem and Clay perform a Paul Wall song at halftime?
Question 11:
blackmagic512: What's your favorite Texans memory? And can I get one of those cool shirts lol
Cal: I have so many! The obvious answers are the first game against the Cowboys, the playoff-clinching win against the Bengals or any playoff victory. But if you're looking for a more unique answer, I have a couple favorites. The first one is the "Ron Dayne Game" when we beat the Colts for the first time in 2006. Ronny Dayne had about 150 yards and two touchdowns. Kris Brown kicked the game-winning field goal, it was awesome! The Colts ended up winning the Super Bowl that season (unfortunately over Lovie's Bears). The other one that jumps to mind is T.J. Yates' first start in 2011. We had lost Schaub and Leinart for the season, so T.J. stepped in and our entire team rallied behind him. The defense was fantastic, and I'll never forget the crowd that day. What about you? What are your favorites?
Cal: The shirts are available at the Team Shop at NRG Stadium in both white and red. Glad you like them!
Question 12:
yourlocalpriest: Hello Mr. McNair! What is your best football-related memory with your father?
Cal: Being in the locker room with Dad and the team in Cincinnati after clinching our first playoff berth in 2011. Something I'll never forget.
Question 13:
440k: Cal, thank you SO much for being willing to spend some time with the subreddit!
As much as I want to ask the standard meme AMA questions about if a hot dog is a sandwich or not, I really want to just hear bits about the life you lead that is vastly different than most of us will get to.
What have been some challenges for you personally growing up with your life so ingrained in an NFL franchise?
Cal: I didn't grow up in the NFL, but I grew up in football and team sports. The biggest challenge is winning. It's a highly competitive league.
PS - Hot dog is a sandwich.
Question 14:
altimaWpaperplates: How did you and your dad get into football? I mean why football over other businesses?
Cal: Dad felt a hole in the heart of the Houston community with no NFL team here and against the advice of his financial advisors he wanted to bring a team back for the city.
Question 15:
Hubrah: Hey Cal, thanks for doing this AMA! What is your go-to meal on game day? Also, what is your favorite Texans uniform color combination?
Cal: Brisket and ribs is my favorite gameday meal. A lot of good combinations, but I'm excited to see the Battle Red helmet on Battle Red Day against the Eagles. My favorite combination though is the one we win in.
Question 16:
CrystalizedIguana: Is there a particular rookie or young player you're most excited to see take the field this Sunday? If so, who is it?
Cal: I know rookies can take time to develop but it's hard not to be extremely excited about all of them! Nick did a great job on draft weekend and watching him work in the Draft Room was so cool. We had the entire draft class make the active roster besides John Metchie and then added another 3 undrafted rookies, so we have a total of 13 rookies in our building to be excited about. It's a great group all around who showed flashes throughout the preseason!
Read the whole AMA here.
