PHOENIX - As the controlling owner of the Texans, Janice McNair has taken a more active role in the organization since the death of her husband, Bob McNair, in late November.

At the NFL meetings, she attended sessions with her son, Texans’ chairman Cal McNair, participated in league events and visited with owners and their families.

“I enjoy the other owners very much,” she said during a rare interview. “I’m getting to see even more than I ever knew about what the efforts are to make everything better. We have so many positive things the league’s trying to do. It’s very uplifting, and it makes us proud to be in the NFL.”

McNair is one of three women who took ownership of NFL franchises last year (along with Gayle Benson, New Orleans and Jody Allen, Seattle) and is one of 10 women who own NFL teams. At the meetings, the owners posed for a group photo. McNair is pictured with four of the most active women owners — Martha Ford (Detroit), Virginia McCaskey (Chicago), Amy Adams Strunk (Tennessee) and Benson.

“I love to see women succeed, and I think it’s part of our world today,” McNair said about more women overseeing NFL teams than any time in history. “I think it’s a wonderful trajectory. Women are showing they can do more than ever.”

The NFL’s leading women The NFL’s leading women Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans The third wife of Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson assumed ownership of the NFL and NBA teams upon his death in 2018. Tom Benson in 2015 fired his granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, as Saints executive vice president after a family rift stemming from his marriage to Gayle Benson. Benson’s daughter, Renee, and his grandchildren, Rita Benson LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc, filed suit alleging that Benson was incompetent to control his affairs, but a judge ruled in Tom Benson’s favor in 2015. Benson’s will left his wife as the sole beneficiary of his estate, which he bequeathed to a family trust. Amy Adams Strunk, Tennessee Titans One of three children of Oilers founder K.S. “Bud” Adams, Strunk became the team’s controlling owner in 2015. A trust created by Adams’ will left a third of the Titans to Strunk, daughter Amy Adams Smith and to the family of the late Kenneth Adams III. When the Titans faltered under the director of Smith’s husband, Tommy Smith, the Adams and Strunk families ousted Smith, and Strunk replaced her sister as controlling owner. Janice McNair, Texans Inherited team from husband Bob McNair in 2018 Martha Firestone Ford, Lions Inherited controlling shares from husband William Clay Ford Sr. in 2014 Carol Davis, Raiders Inherited Raiders ownership from husband Al Davis in 2011, son Mark Davis is managing general partner Denise DeBartolo York, 49ers Also president of the NHL Penguins from 1978-91, team won Stanley Cup in 1991, assumed control of the 49ers in 2000 from her brother, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., son Jed York is team’s CEO Virginia McCaskey, Bears Inherited team from father George Halas in 1983, team administered by her sons, Michael and George, and current team president Ted Phillips Kim Pegula, Bills With her husband Terry Pegula, purchased NHL Sabres in 2010 and NFL Bills in 2014, president of Pegula Sports and Entertainment Dee Haslam, Browns With husband Jimmy Haslam, purchased NFL Browns in 2012 and the MLS Crew in 2019 Jody Allen, Seahawks Inherited NFL Seahawks and NBA Portland Trail Blazers from brother Paul Allen in 2018

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McNair is a South Carolina native with a southern accent as sweet as Tupelo honey. Her two daughters call her a steel magnolia — a southern woman with the strength of steel and the gentleness of a magnolia.

“Don’t mistake Mom’s kindness for weakness,” Cal McNair said. “She’s come through a lot, and she’s even stronger because of it. She’s smart and competitive, and she wants to win. I think she’s doing a great job. I’m really proud that she’s my mom.”

During an hour-long interview at the Arizona Biltmore, Janice McNair addressed a number of subjects, including owning an NFL team, life without her late husband, her vision for the Texans and the family’s ongoing philanthropy.

She spoke softly, always with a warm smile until getting emotional about her husband. Last week was the first time she attended an NFL meeting without her husband and best friend of 62 years.

“He wasn’t supposed to leave me, but he had Cal well-prepared,” she said. “It’s been hard the last few months. I’m usually positive and hopeful. I have a wonderful faith. I’m so grateful for that. I like people, and I genuinely care about them.

“I’ve been treated very graciously at these meetings. They’ve been very encouraging, very accepting and making me feel very at home.”

As she negotiated the myriad of buildings, ballrooms, hallways and meeting rooms at the Biltmore, McNair made a strong impression on people at the club and league levels, including commissioner Roger Goodell.

“Janice is wonderful,” he said. “She was in the (meeting) room the last few days. She’s been a great partner of Bob’s. I don’t think there’s anything she wasn’t involved with.”

McNair told Goodell and her fellow owners she and Cal plan to continue the standard Bob McNair set since they were awarded the franchise in 1999 to replace the Oilers.

“That’s what we’re trying to do, follow his vision of what he wanted to do,” she said. “He left a super (management) team in place, and they’re all so capable.”

Cal, president Jamey Rootes, general manager Brian Gaine and coach Bill O’Brien are the management team she hopes will help the Texans’ 18th season be their best.

When asked about a competitiveness that goes back to her days as an athlete in high school and college, McNair laughs.

“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’m glad you don’t see me during games because I cannot socialize. I’m focused on the game.”

She’s known to get physical sitting in the owner’s suite at games.

“She’ll be a little bit animated,” Cal said. “If you sit too close to her, if she’s on your left side, your left arm may have a few bruises. She’ll give you a good whack, like, ‘What are they doing?’

“She’s very much into the game. She understands the game, and she has a strong desire to win.”

This is O’Brien’s sixth year working for the McNairs. His four-year extension kicked in this year.

“Nothing’s changed,” O’Brien said. “It’s just an unbelievable family, a very nice, humble family. They listen, take in the information you’re giving them, and then they give you their opinion and tell you the direction they want.

“We have a really good, family-oriented organization that cares about their employees. Everybody knows each other. It’s a very positive vibe around the building. That’s a good thing.

“Then there’s all the things the McNairs do in the community. That’ll go on and on because that’s the legacy of Bob McNair. That’s what Janice and Cal are carrying on.”

While Bob McNair underwent treatment for skin cancer last season, Cal was promoted to chairman from vice chairman. He was in charge of the franchise. He made sure to keep his father up to date on a daily basis and plans to do the same with his mother.

“I talked to Dad at least twice every evening,” he said. “I would call him on the way home. Now I do that with Mom every evening. I think she likes to be updated and knowledgeable on everything. She’s in the loop on all of it.”

The McNairs believe in family, faith and football. Bob and Janice moved to Houston in 1960. Her husband often called himself “a homer for Houston.”

She feels the same way.

“Yes, we love Houston,” she said. “Houston’s been so good to us and our family. When we moved here in 1960, Bob was looking for a job. He came to Houston to look around the city. He called me from a hotel near downtown. It was in February when the rodeo was going on.

“He said, ‘You won’t believe it. They’ve got horses down Main Street. They’ve got horses everywhere.’ I said, ‘I guess all Texans have horses.’ We were so young and foolish back then.”

The McNairs have come a long way since that scouting trip to Houston.

She said her husband would have been thrilled about the decision made by O’Brien and Gaine to add former players Andre Johnson, Brian Cushing, T.J. Yates and Akeem Dent to the staff this year.

“I love it,” she said. “I think we’re stronger because of it. We appreciate them so much for what they did for the team and the city. I want them to feel appreciated. Our players are so special.

“One thing I think everyone should know is that we love the Astros, Rockets and all the teams in Houston. It’s a thrill to see how well Houston teams are doing.”

And it would be an even bigger thrill for the McNairs to see the Texans achieve the goal Bob wanted for Houston - to win a Super Bowl for Houston.

“You play to win,” she said. “We always think we can win. Winning does so much for this city. It lifts us up. We learn from mistakes, get ourselves together and keep improving. That’s what we did last year. It was amazing. I’m excited to see what this season brings.”