Texans owner Bob McNair has a habit of sticking his foot in his mouth at league meetings.
In October, McNair said at an ownership meeting that the league “can’t have the inmates running the prison,” regarding players’ protests during the national anthem. At this week’s ownership meeting in Orlando, McNair has already made another comment that will surely raise eyebrows.
Jarrett Bell of USA Today quotes McNair as defending Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who is selling the team amid an investigation of workplace misconduct.
“Some of the comments could have been made jokingly,” McNair said of Richardson. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to offend anybody.”
But why should that matter? Regardless of whether Richardson made inappropriate comments jokingly, or whether he meant to offend anybody, the fact is that inappropriate jokes don’t belong in a workplace, and Richardson did offend people. McNair and his fellow owners would be wise to acknowledge that the league has to take allegations of workplace misconduct seriously, and not look for reasons to excuse those who act badly.