Janice McNair died Tuesday afternoon at 89, and the Houston Texans said she passed away peacefully with her family by her side. The death ends the public life of a co-founder and Senior Chair whose name was tied to the franchise from its start.
Cal McNair said his mother exuded kindness, radiated joy, had an endless amount of hope and love, and lived an incredible life centered around faith, family, philanthropy and football. He also said he and his sisters, Ruth and Melissa, felt profound gratitude for having her as their mom.
Cal McNair on Janice S
Cal McNair said, “Mom was exceptional. She exuded kindness, radiated joy, had an endless amount of hope and love, and lived an incredible life centered around faith, family, philanthropy and football.” He added, “It’s impossible to describe the profound gratitude that my sisters, Ruth and Melissa, and I feel for having her as our mom.”
He said, “Outside of our family, nothing mattered more to her than her beloved Texans.” He also said, “I remain honored to lead this franchise and build on the foundation my parents set when they brought football back to Houston.”
Houston Texans and the NFL
Janice and Bob McNair moved to Houston in 1960 and raised four children there. The Texans said the couple gave more than a half billion dollars to charity, with their giving focused on education and medical research.
Janice served as a director of The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, the Houston Texans Foundation and The Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation in Forest City, N.C. The Houston Texans Foundation was created in 2002, and more than $51 million has been raised through it since then.
Texans Ring of Honor
In 2025, Janice McNair was inducted as the fourth member of the Texans Ring of Honor at a halftime ceremony. The Texans also said the McNairs established McNair Scholars programs through The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, which recruit students and faculty to the University of South Carolina, Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Texas Children’s Hospital.
The Texans said her death leaves her survivors: four children, 16 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. For readers looking for the immediate practical answer, there is no public memorial or service listed in the announcement; the family statement instead centers on her role in the franchise, the charity work and the loss felt by the organization and her relatives.
