Cal McNair Accused of Exploiting Mother's Health Crisis for Personal Gain

Houston Texans Owner Allegedly Orchestrated Undervalued Sale of $65M Family Ranch for $3M, Brother Claims in Lawsuit

The McNair family, owners of the Houston Texans, have been a prominent force in both the NFL and the Houston community since the late Robert McNair founded the franchise in 1999. The family’s involvement with the NFL began when Bob McNair purchased the expansion franchise for $700 million in 1999. Under the McNairs' ownership, the Texans have grown significantly in value, with Forbes now valuing the team at $6.1 billion. This makes the Texans one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.

After Bob's death in November 2018, his ownership passed to his wife, Janice. In a shocking twist, Cary McNair now finds himself in legal battles against his three siblings—Melissa, Ruth, and Texans Principal Owner Cal—disputes that could impact the entire family empire.

In July, Cal, Melissa, and Ruth filed a lawsuit over employment agreements involving Cary and other executives. Cary responded by attempting to dismiss the lawsuit and requesting that it be delayed and moved to a different court. This dispute led to a related lawsuit being filed in Nevada, where Cary is seeking control over the Palmetto Protector Trust, an entity created to oversee the family’s assets.

According to Cary's lawsuit, the operating agreement of the company states that only Bob or his direct descendants could be members of the Palmetto Protector Trust. However, after Bob's death, Janice allegedly assigned his 100% interest in Palmetto Protector to herself, an action Cary claims violated the terms of the agreement.

Janice suffered a stroke in January of 2022, and according to one doctor cited in the court documents, she had irreversible brain atrophy. Cary claims in the lawsuit that shortly after the stroke, Janice sold the family ranch to his brother, Cal McNair, at a price substantially below market value. He alleges the ranch, which he says was promised to all four children, was valued at $65,000,000 but was sold to Cal for $3,000,000. The lawsuit asserts that Cal "induced" their mother to make this sale at a time when her abilities were allegedly compromised due to the effects of the stroke and sleep deprivation. Cary also claims that Cal may have induced his mother to execute documentation “relieving Cal’s obligations under the promissory note that he executed in exchange for the ranch.”

According to the lawsuit, upon learning about the ranch transactions, the siblings debated whether to force Cal to "unwind the transaction" and, if he refused, to ask Janice to make her interest in the Houston Texans "available to be sold to Ruth, Cary, and Melissa on similar value and terms as the ranch was sold to Cal." Cary claims in the court filings that it was during this time that Cal allegedly "induced" their mother to sign over her power of attorney, designating Cal as her agent rather than the Palmetto Trust Company.

The lawsuit cites an alleged incident on October 18, 2022, when Janice's personal assistant claimed to have observed Cal and his wife, Hannah, obtaining Janice's signature on a legal document related to the dismissal of the Houston Texans' former General Manager, Jack Easterby. The assistant is quoted in the lawsuit as noting, "He [Cal] took advantage of her [Janice] - she has not been feeling good... She has had bad headaches every day, she has been on medication, she is very tired."

Minutes from a Palmetto Trust board meeting in February 2023 describe that Janice “purportedly made to her estate planning” by amending one of the trusts “to include a substantial gift of marketable securities and liquid assets to her four children”. According to the Nevada lawsuit, Cary opposed the gift (even though it would benefit him) because it allegedly "threatened the McNair Foundation's 501(c)(3) status."

The lawsuit also claims that in April 2023, Janice's personal assistant reported that Janice could not remember visiting the Houston Texans stadium to take pictures with the team's coaches and scouts before the NFL draft.

In July, 2023, Janice reportedly sold a valuable piece of art at a substantially reduced price which prompted a third party to express concern that she was being taken advantage of.

On October 25, 2023, Janice’s personal assistant texted all four siblings the following:

On November 30, 2023, Cary filed a petition for guardianship in Harris County probate court.

In January 2024, Janice purportedly assigned her membership interest in Palmetto Protector to three of her four children—Cal, Melissa, and Ruth—excluding Cary. This assignment, and the subsequent appointment of Ruth, Melissa, and Cal as co-trustees of the Palmetto Trust, is what Cary is contesting in the Nevada lawsuit. He claims that these decisions were made under duress and without proper consideration of Janice's mental state. Cary seeks to invalidate these changes and regain control over the Palmetto Trust, which allegedly holds significant assets, including the Houston Texans.

The timing of these events is particularly notable given the NFL’s vote to name Cal McNair the principal owner of the Houston Texans on March 26. Under the leadership of first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the team won the AFC South division title and secured a playoff victory in the 2023 season. This resurgence has brought renewed attention to the franchise, making the ownership dispute all the more significant for the team's future direction and stability.

These events are based on court filings and allegations made by various parties involved. Please see previous posts for context on other lawsuits involving the family. The court has not yet made final determinations on these matters, and all parties are entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in a court of law.