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Janice McNair, principal owner of the Texans, refutes son's claim she needs a guardian

Ahead of the Houston Texans' first home playoff game in five years, Janice McNair is fighting claims that she needs a guardian.

Robert Cary McNair Jr. asserted in a Nov. 27 court application that his mother, the principal owner and co-founder of the Texans, should be declared incapacitated.

“Cary filed the application without the knowledge or input of Ms. McNair or Cal [McNair,] who are shocked at Cary’s drastic and unwarranted measures of alleging his mother is incapacitated, seeking to terminate her rights and appoint himself as her guardian to control her personal, financial and medical decisions,” the affidavit stated. “Ms. McNair and Cal are firmly against any allegation or implication that Ms. McNair is incapacitated or needs a guardianship.

“Cary publicly filed the application, which includes Ms. McNair’s confidential medical information such as her doctor’s information, potential medical appointments and her Statutory Durable Power of Attorney. The Application also includes Ms. McNair’s and Cal’s confidential financial information and includes Ms. McNair’s and Cal’s home addresses.”

Houston Texans owner Janice McNair prior to an NFL football game between the Houston Texans and the Denver Broncos Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Texans owner Janice McNair is fighting claims made by her son Cary McNair that she needs a guardian and needs to be declared incapacitated. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In the document, filed with probate court in Harris County, Cary McNair, the CEO of McNair Industries, listed the reasons he believes Janice McNair requires a guardian. After showing that Janice and Cal would suffer irreparable harm with the release of information from this case, the presiding judge issued a temporary sealing order in December.

On Tuesday, a hearing was held regarding the request to seal the records, but a ruling, if it was made, remains unknown. Janice and Cal, chairman and CEO of the Texans, asked that the records remain sealed to protect Janice's confidential personal, financial and medical information.

"The details of this family dispute becoming public will have a serious impact on the Texans," Janice said in a two-page affidavit. "It will create a needless and baseless media stir regarding the ownership and direction of the Texans, thereby negatively affecting our employees, business partners and the team."

The McNair family's in-fighting comes days before the Texans welcome the Cleveland Browns to NRG Stadium for wild-card weekend. Houston is coming off one of its best years in recent memory behind first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans.

The Texans finished 10-7 and won the AFC South thanks to the play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was taken with the second overall pick in April. Houston will be facing Joe Flacco instead of its former quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is on injured reserve.

When asked if the Texans had any comment on the dispute, spokesperson Omar Majzoub told The Associated Press that the team had no comment.