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Los Angeles
Houston Texans owner Bob McNair's apology for comparing NFL players to prison inmates in discussing controversial national anthem protests drew bitter reaction on Friday.
"I think it was ignorant," Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown told reporters."I think it was embarrassing. I think it angered a lot of players, including myself. We put our bodies and minds on the line every time we step on that field, and to use an analogy of inmates in prison, that's disrespectful."
ESPN The Magazine reported that McNair, in discussing the controversial protests with other NFL owners on October 18, said the league"can't have the inmates running the prison."
"I regret that I used that expression," McNair said in a statement."I never meant to offend anyone and I was not referring to our players. I used a figure of speech that was never intended to be taken literally.
"I would never characterise our players or our league that way and I apologize to anyone who was offended by it."
ESPN reported Friday, citing an unnamed source, that some Texans players considered a walkout in response to the comment.
About 10 players, including Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, left the facility Friday.
Texans coach Bill O'Brien said Hopkins had taken a"personal day" as the team prepares for Sunday's game at the Seattle Seahawks.
But Texans players weren't the only ones who were angry.
"I don't think he could have picked a poorer choice of words, referring to us as prisoners," San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid said."Welcome to America 2017."
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said he believed McNair said exactly what he meant to say.
"Some of these owners are showing their true colors," Sherman said.
The meeting at which McNair made the comment came a day after 13 current or former players, 11 owners, commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith met in New York to discuss the anthem controversy.
Draymond Green, of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, said Friday he wouldn't want to play for McNair and indicated he thought it would be appropriate for Goodell to sanction him.
"First they (demonstrators) were sons of bitches and now inmates?" Green told reporters after the team's practice on Friday."I know some inmates. They don't pay taxes. They're not community leaders ... Come on man. Inmates? That's unacceptable."
He also found McNair's apology wanting.
"Agree or disagree, figures of speech aren't OK in 2017," Green said."If I come out and give a figure of speech that's not socially OK, I'm going to get fined. I'm going to get ridiculed ... So why is that OK?"
Green called McNair's remark"very Donald Sterling-esque," a reference to the former Los Angeles Clippers owner who was banned from the NBA for life for making racist comments that leaked in 2014.
