Jadeveon Clowney’s Halloween costume choice was painfully ironic.
The Houston Texans star defensive end posted an Instagram story of himself at a Halloween party Monday wearing the classic orange jumpsuit worn by prison inmates.
Most believed Clowney’s costume to be a clear shot at Texans owner Bob McNair. During an NFL owners meeting last week, McNair touched on the topic of players protesting during the national anthem, saying “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.”
McNair attempted to clarify his statement, saying he wasn’t referring to the players in his inmates comment. The apology apparently didn’t hold too much weight with the Texans, though, as the bulk of the team knelt during the anthem prior to their Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
While Clowney has every right to be frustrated with McNair, Texans senior director of communications, Amy Palcic, told the Houston Chronicle that there “was no hidden meaning behind his (Clowney) costume.”
“He was not taking a ‘shot’ at anyone,” Palcic said. “It was just that — a costume at a Halloween party.”
Even with the statement, it’s hard to imagine it was just a costume.
Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images
