Reactions to Texans owner Bob McNair's use of an idiom - that compared protesters in the league to prisoners - came in from disheartened players across the NFL and the greater sporting world on Friday, October 27, but none were as significant as the response reported on from Houston's own locker room. According to a number of NFL insiders, several Texans players had to be persuaded to complete practice, and the team's biggest star, DeAndre Hopkins refused to even show up.
The earliest word in regards to buzz getting around that the star wide receiver was absent came from coach Bill O’Brien, who told the press that Hopkins had taken a "personal day." But confirmation that he had actually been in the building and then left after catching wind of McNair's remarks soon got out. In addition to Hopkins being a no-show, it is reported that coach O’Brien and general manager Rick Smith met with the players as a means of intervention, when it appeared that some of the other guys were just not up to going through with the day's business as usual.
One player who was vocal about feeling conflicted over the news out of winter meetings was offensive tackle Duane Brown, who said McNair's analogy "sickened" him and insisted that the impact it is having on the team "is bigger than just the protests." Brown told reporters: “This is the view of [the] player-owner relationship. This is how you view us. You’re an inmate, we can’t let you guys out of line. We can’t let you speak for yourself. We can’t let you have your own beliefs. That’s what it feels like. It’s a bad situation.”
According to a source close to the situation, the rest of the team may have decided against staging a walkout on Friday but may be planning to make a statement during Sunday's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Word among some insiders is that the Texans players may remove the team logo from their helmets before taking to the field.
