John McClain, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, is in his 48th year of covering the NFL in Houston, including 45 seasons at the Houston Chronicle.
When the Texans reported for last year's training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center, there was reason for optimism and excitement for a team that had combined to win 12 games over the previous three seasons. The McNair family – Janice, Hannah and Cal – was confident the correct pieces were being put in place by Nick Caserio, the executive vice president/general manager.
Like fans and media, the McNairs were eager to watch first-year Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft. They were excited to see scheme changes with Ryans' new coordinators, Bobby Slowik (offense) and Matt Burke (defense).
With all that newness came uncertainty, but the confidence in the team never wavered, even after an 0-2 start. The McNairs keep a close eye on the team, but they don't get in the way. They hire people to do their jobs, then provide them with support and the necessary financial resources. They believed the franchise was on the right track, and that belief was rewarded when the Texans became the most surprising team in the NFL.
In Ryans' first season, the Texans won the AFC South with a 10-7 record, defeated Cleveland in the wild card round at NRG Stadium and lost in the divisional round at Baltimore. With Stroud being voted NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and end Will Anderson being named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Ryans missing by one vote of winning NFL Coach of the Year, the Texans shocked the league. That performance increased the Texans' appetite for more.
"We won't stop because we know our job isn't finished," Cal said as the Texans prepare for their 23rd training camp. "We've had some good years, but we want to have some great years, and we won't stop until we get there."
You won't hear Super Bowl mentioned out loud around NRG Stadium even though it's the Texans' goal like every team at this time of year. But outside the stadium – locally and nationally – there is Super Bowl speculation for a team that's never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs.
The Texans are excited that fans are excited, but those kind of predictions must be tempered because they play a first-place schedule that includes five division champions and 11 games against teams that finished 2023 with winning records.
"It's great, but it won't help us win a game," Cal said about the lofty expectations. "Sure, you hope for it, but we have to put in the work it takes on a daily basis and not believe the expectations on the outside because we have to make it happen on the inside. If we fall for that trap and listen to the voices on the outside, we won't get to where we want to be. We have to focus on ourselves.
"I know it sounds like a cliché, but we have to believe we're starting from scratch and try to win every down, every quarter and every game to have a chance to reach our goal."
For an organization that used to be divided by controversy, the Texans are in a good place.
"It's a lot of fun to come to work," Cal said. "We're really excited about our roster. Ticket sales and sponsorships are going very well. It's fun to see people working together. We'll always have challenges and ways we can improve and get better. We don't want to be stagnant. We'll always be challenging ourselves to get better."
The excitement for training camp, preseason and regular season extends from the personnel to the administrative side of the organization. Going into camp, there are no fires for the McNairs to extinguish.
"It's better because you're coming to work excited about the present and future instead of trying to fix what's going on," Hannah said. "You can look ahead and be excited about it."
Hannah has played a vital role in helping the Texans get where they are. Her husband welcomes her opinions about the organization and trusts her advice and suggestions.
"I'm fortunate to have Hannah by my side because she's going to challenge me in many, many ways," Cal said. "She's smart. She brings a different perspective. I have a lot of respect for her and what she brings to the table. I know she wants what's best for me and the organization, and I trust her. She has no agendas."
As Hannah has grown into her role, she's become more comfortable being involved in the process. She likes working side by side with her husband.
"Yes, and we're a partnership, not just here but at home, too, as parents," she said. "When I felt there was a need to speak more truth and directly to Cal about this side of our lives, that's when I felt more comfortable being there so he had someone to turn to, someone with a different set of eyes and ears with no agendas other than to help him any way I can."
Hannah's influence is one reason the McNairs have become so public. They've been available to the media on a regular basis. During the offseason program, they did interviews with print, television, radio and online reporters. A few owners never talk with the media. Some do it once or twice a year. Hannah and Cal will attend just about every practice during camp and spend a lot of time talking informally with reporters because they believe it's important for the organization. They believe a good way to reach fans is through the media.
"I want fans to know that I'm here, and I'm going to work as hard as I can to help our team get where we want to go," Cal said. "I'm a firm believer in the old-school model in that the fans want to hear from the owner at the end of the year – how the season went and what we're looking for in the next season and then again when the season starts.
"Our PR staff has convinced me that I need to be out more, and I embraced what they were recommending. I enjoy talking about the team and being with the fans. They'll ask me about it, and I tell them you better love football because you're talking about it all the time. It's not a five-day-a-week job. It's 24/7 job, and I've embraced it."
When his late father, Bob McNair, was alive, Cal would stay in the background. He used to say he felt more comfortable playing that role and that his father liked being out front. Over the last three years, in particular, Cal has spent more time growing into a role similar to the one his father played.
"Cal's dad was very good, and the public knew who he was, but they didn't know who Cal was," Hannah said. "Now the fans are getting a good idea about who Cal is and the type of person he is as a leader. And he's also a fan of this team and a fan of Houston, as well.
"I think putting him out there more so they can have a better idea of who he is and that they can trust and believe in what he's trying to build here. I think that played into it."
There were a lot of exciting times for the McNair family during the offseason like free agency and the draft, but none more so than the unveiling of their new uniforms. They did as much publicity as possible leading up to the big reveal, and they were almost overwhelmed with the positive response.
"I wasn't expecting a response as strong as we got," Cal said. "Having that strong response was really exciting for me. We're looking forward to having every seat filled, and we want to encourage our fans to come into games early. We know they have a lot of fun tailgating, and our team always feeds off their energy, and the sooner they come in, the better."
The McNairs are hoping the new uniforms can be a springboard to more success.
"I think more anxious than nervous because I couldn't wait for everyone to see it," Hannah said. "My expectations were 50-50 knowing some would like it, but some don't like change. I couldn't wait for the city to be taken into this new chapter."
Perhaps a chapter unprecedented in franchise history, like home-field advantage in the playoffs, the Texans' first trip to the AFC Championship Game and – dare we say it – a date with destiny in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
