A comment made by Texans owner Bob McNair to his peers has likely erased whatever goodwill was created when NFL players and owners met Oct. 17 to discuss ongoing protests of the national anthem.

The day after the meeting, which was generally described as postitive, McNair used the phrase “inmates running the prison” to express his concern to other owners that the players were wielding too much influence, ESPN The Magazine reported in a story published Friday.

In response, the Texans players reportedly considered staging a walkout Friday. Ten players actually left the facility, and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins didn’t return. Houston head coach Bill O’Brien said Hopkins took a “personal day.”

Niners safety Eric Reid was one of 12 current players at the meeting in New York with 11 owners, a group that included McNair.

“I don’t think you could have picked a poorer choice of words, to refer to us as inmates in your prison,” Reid said. “But welcome to America 2017.”

On Friday, McNair issued a public apology through the Texans saying he was using a figure of speech and not referring directly to players. Reid said he got “positive vibes” from McNair during the meeting in New York with other players.

“I want to believe he didn’t mean it, but that’s the norm in our society,” Reid said. “And that’s the issue. So we’ve got to get that reversed.”

A host of NFL players weighed in on McNair’s comments, many on social media.

Seahawks cornerbacks Richard Sherman, via Twitter, said: “Don’t apologize! You meant what you said. Showing true colors allows ppl to see you for who you are.” Raiders tackle Marshall Newhouse referred to himself as “Inmate #63925552.”

The conversation was also part of the NBA on Friday.

Warriors forward Draymond Green said McNair should be fined by commissioner Roger Goodell.

“I don’t think it should be up to (McNair) to change his behavior,” Green said. “They got a commissioner just like any other league. First they were sons of bitches and now inmates? I know some inmates. They don’t pay taxes. They’re not community leaders. They’re not (Eagles safety Malcolm) Jenkins, flying to the White House, flying to D.C., doing all these things to make a difference. They’re not (Colin) Kaepernick, donating $1 million. That’s like, c’mon man — inmates? That’s unacceptable.”

On Oct. 19, a day after the meeting with owners, Reid echoed many players and said the discussion was productive. He said the NFL plan to raise awareness of issues such as racial injustice made him feel that, eventually, he would stand for the national anthem.

Reid was the second NFL player to protest, following Kaepernick, and he’s been perhaps the most vocal regarding protests this season with Kaepernick unemployed.

NFL executive Troy Vincent, who has “little patience for the protests,” according to the ESPN story, called 49ers general manager John Lynch on Oct. 14 and told him that if Reid knelt during the anthem the next day he shouldn’t “bother to show up” at the meeting with owners because he wouldn’t be taken seriously.

On Friday, Reid said that conversation wasn’t relayed to him, and Vincent didn’t speak with him directly when he was in New York. Reid noted Kaepernick wasn’t invited to the meeting.

“Colin was the first one to start protesting,” Reid said. “I was the second. So it’s blasphemous to try to create some sort of compromise without us being in the room. ... A lot of (players), bless their hearts, I admire them for joining the cause, they don’t even protest. A couple of players that were in the meeting have not participated in a protest.

“But those are the folks that you want to talk to about ending our protest? It doesn’t make any sense. It’s asinine to not invite Colin to that meeting and then to say that I wouldn’t be taken seriously in that meeting, if I continued to protest.”

Eric Branch covers and Connor Letourneau are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ebranch@sfchronicle.com cletourneau@sfchronicle.com