Robert Cary McNair Jr., son of Texans' principal owner, drops case seeking guardianship of his mother
Robert Cary McNair's case to have Janice McNair, his mother and the principal owner of the Houston Texans, declared incapacitated and then appointed as her legal guardian was dropped Monday, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Two family doctors examined Janice and concluded she was in good health, which bolstered both her argument that she didn't need a guardian and that of her youngest son, Cal McNair, the chairman and CEO of the Texans, who was helping her fight the case.
Janice, who took over as the principal owner when her husband, Bob McNair, died in 2018, is the NFL's third-oldest team owner.
“Mr. Cal McNair is delighted that the frivolous lawsuit against his mother, Janice McNair, was dismissed today,” Paul Dobrowski, Cal's attorney said in a statement to the Chronicle. “He is relieved that she will not be burdened by an unnecessary medical examination nor placed under a repressive guardianship that would restrict her rights.
“She will continue to be actively involved as Founder and Senior Chairperson of the Houston Texans.”
The decision by all parties to drop the matter came after a Harris County judge rejected Cary's request to have Janice evaluated by an independent medical examiner in early February. Janice suffered a stroke in January 2022, and Cary's attorney's argued that the 87-year-old's cognitive health had deteriorated in the aftermath.
Cary, the CEO of McNair Industries and Janice's eldest son, filed this case on Nov. 27 as the Texans were in the midst of one of their most successful seasons in recent memory, which resulted in a wild-card win over the Cleveland Browns.
Houston finished 11-8 and made its first playoff appearance since the 2019 season, thanks in large part to Offensive Rookie of the Year and quarterback C.J. Stroud. The second-overall draft pick and Texans were eventually bounced from the divisional round by the Baltimore Ravens.
"Cary McNair continues to be concerned about his mother's health, and he remains focused on preventing others from trying to take advantage of Janice in her diminished state following her unfortunate stroke," Cary's attorney, Jeremy Fielding, told the Chronicle in a statement. "Rather than continue this litigation, however, at his suggestion, the family has made the joint decision to address these issues privately.
"Cary brought this case in an attempt to get an independent third party to serve as guardian to protect his mother — not so that Cary could control her estate, as his brother Cal has incorrectly suggested."
