Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney showed up to the team's Halloween party wearing an orange prison jumpsuit just days after Texans owner Bob McNair said, "We can't have the inmates running the prison," in regards to NFL players' protesting during the national anthem.
While this seems like an obvious shot at McNair, the Houston Chronicle's Fernando Alfonso III is reporting that Texans senior director of communications, Amy Palcic, said there "was no hidden meaning behind his Halloween costume."
"He was not taking a 'shot' at anyone," Palcic added. "It was just that – a costume at a Halloween party."
Texans owner Bob McNair came under fire last week after a piece for ESPN The Magazine, written by Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr., revealed the complex details inside the NFL owners meeting with the players, which included quotes some owners and players.
According to Wickersham and Van Natta, former NFL player Troy Vincent, now the NFL's Executive Vice President of Football Operations told the group of owners and players he was offended after McNair's 'inmate' remark.
"Vincent said that in all his years of playing in the NFL -- during which, he said, he had been called every name in the book, including the N-word -- he never felt like an 'inmate.'"
Nearly every player on the Texans roster, including Clowney, took a knee during the national anthem prior to their Week 8 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. When the news broke about McNair's comments, some players including their star wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, left the team's practice facility.
Despite the team's senior director of communications saying there was "no hidden meaning" behind Clowney's inmate costume, it's clear what he was doing with this one.
Jadeveon Clowney, now in his fourth NFL season, has played in all seven games this season recording 23 combined tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles.
The Texans, 3-4, will host the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.
