The alleged departure of Texas President Jamey Rootes became official on Wednesday morning when he informed his team that he had resigned, ending his more than 20-year association with the organization.
Rootes’ resignation takes effect immediately.
Hired by the late owner, Bob McNair, Rootes helped make Texans one of the most financially profitable franchises in the NFL.
As team president, Rootes oversaw the business and administrative side of the organization that has become one of the most successful in professional sports, exhausting all games at NRG Stadium from 2002 to 2019 before COVID-19 forced limited ticket sales last season.
“I think the organization is in a great place from a business standpoint,” said Rootes on Wednesday morning. “We have a great leadership team. I thought it was the right time to do something different.
“I am young enough to find a new opportunity to create something new.”
Rootes, 54, was the president and general manager of the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer when the team’s owner, Lamar Hunt, recommended him to McNair.
More than a year before the Texans played their first season in 2002, McNair hired Rootes as senior vice president of marketing for the team to help generate interest in the expansion team within the Houston business community.
In 2005, McNair promoted Rootes to president, a position he held until he handed over his resignation to Cal McNair, who has run the team since his father lost the battle with cancer in November 2018.
“I love Cal as a brother,” said Rootes. “This idea (dismissal) is not new to me. When Bob’s health started to deteriorate, I thought it was important for the organization to have stability during this period. When Bob passed away, I felt like I owed Cal to be here. “
Last season, Rootes created controversy when he sacked popular vice president of communications Amy Palcic during the season, prompting a negative response locally and nationally.
Over the years, Rootes served on the team selection committees that recommended new coaches and general managers for Bob and Cal McNair.
Since Rootes was promoted to team president, Texans have won several awards on the business side of the organization. In 2020, Rootes wrote the book “The Winning Game Plan: A Proven Leadership Play Book for Continuous Success”.
Rootes said he plans to take at least six months to spend more time with his family. He will continue to promote his book, teach at the University of Houston and speak in public.
“I want to find enough time to decide what is best for me in the future,” he said. “This (resignation) is difficult because of the people. They are special to me. I feed on the energy of our fans, our team and our customers, and I will miss them ”.
Rootes’ right-hand man, senior vice president of corporate development Greg Grissom, will oversee the business operation until a new president is hired. Grissom has been with the Texans since 2002.