Houston Texans avoiding free agents who protested during national anthem

Ivan Hill

The quiet internal decision that comes via the word of two National Football League agents comes in the backdrop of Texans owner Bob McNair's provocative comment a year ago that he didn't want "inmates running the prison".

The Texans, meanwhile, issued a denial of a report which appeared in the Houston Chronicle which said the team had adopted an unofficial policy of not considering free agents who had taken part in the protests. "The Texans ownership, coaching, personnel and executive staff sign and hire employees based on talent, character and fit within our organization", the statement read.

This latest news could make it even more hard for the Texans to lure free agents, especially after the comment made by team owner Bob McNair regarding player protests last October. Later that day, Texans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins failed to show up for practice in response to McNair's remark, sparking a divide between the owner and his players. "I'm 100 percent with these players".

"During the past season, we received assurances from both commissioner Roger Goodell and the chairman of the management council, John Mara, that the right of players to demonstrate would be protected".

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The Texans do not have a first round pick or a second round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Dozens of NFL players regularly took a knee during the national anthem last season, continuing demonstrations that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began in 2016.

The Texans website was business as usual on Tuesday, announcing: "The Texans, and the rest of the National Football League, can begin signing free agents at 3 p.m. on March 14 ..."

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