Hall of Famer Andre Johnson, Texans encourage female participation in flag football

HOUSTON — Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Johnson didn’t skip a beat when asked what advice he’d give to girls who want to play football.

“Tell them, get out there,” he said.

Johnson joined the Houston Texans on Saturday at NRG Stadium as they hosted a screening of the documentary “The Herricanes” about a women’s professional tackle football team that played in Houston in the 1970s.

The screening included members of the Herricanes, the movie’s director Olivia Kuan, the Houston Westbury High School girls flag football team and Hannah McNair, the Houston Texans Foundation’s vice president and wife of Texans owner Cal McNair.

The Texans are working to get more girls involved in football in the city and the team’s foundation sponsors flag football teams at 12 high schools in the Houston Independent School District and nine more from charter schools.

Next year, the Texans will expand the program to all 25 HISD high schools as they work to get the state to sanction girls flag football as a UIL sport.

“We refocused our foundation last year to focus on girls flag football because we want to create the opportunity for all girls here in Houston to be able to play the game that we love and we know how it can be life changing,” McNair said. “We know how it can change a girl’s life, her mental health, the sisterhood of being involved and just … being inspired by those around you.”

The McNairs have long been involved in flag football with Janice McNair, wife of late Texans founder Bob McNair, playing what was then called Powder Puff football in college. Hannah McNair participated in the sport in graduate school and her young daughter Hunter is currently playing flag football in a boys’ league.

“Today was impactful seeing those women in that room that paved the way,” Hannah McNair said. “It was pretty emotional. I teared up a few times. And then to see the next generation of flag football with Westbury in there too, you can really see what has been done to help all of us to play the game.”

Marty Bryant was a running back for the Herricanes, which played in the National Women’s Football League from 1976-79. She beamed while speaking to the high school players about her time on the gridiron and loves that the barriers they broke down have made it easier for girls to get into the game today.

“It’s a big sigh of relief. Absolutely,” she said. “It’s been in the process for such a long time and it is such a great relief to see it actually happen. These girls can just go and play because they want to go play. That’s amazing. It makes your heart smile.”

Johnson starred as a receiver for the Texans from 2003-14 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. He’s never questioned the ability of girls to play football because of a childhood where a female cousin always played with him and his friends.

“We would go against other neighborhoods and they always laughed at us because we brought a girl with us and she used to kill people,” Johnson said. “She … would go out there and she would score three or four touchdowns a game. And just for me, I’ll tell any woman: Go play.”

Johnson is glad to see that girls playing football is becoming more accepted and believes interest will only increase.

“As you can see, like in the WNBA, how things have evolved and now you see more people watching WNBA games than ever,” he said. “So, I just think it’s just more about just having an opportunity.”

The players from Westbury were thrilled to hear Johnson’s words of encouragement Saturday.

“I’m so excited that someone like that is excited for us,” 17-year-old Choyce Tatum, a running back on the team said. “It makes me more excited.”

Added her teammate Emree Miller, who is a running back and safety: “Seeing someone like that be encouraging of girls football is very inspirational and motivational.”

Tatum and Miller haven’t faced any of the discrimination the Herricanes encountered when they played football more than 40 years ago. They said everyone has been supportive of their endeavors and that member of the boys’ varsity football team even give them pointers.

“They teach us what they know and it makes us better,” Tatum said.

The documentary is currently playing at River Oaks Theater in Houston and will also be shown in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles in the coming months.

Bryant hopes the film and their struggles to play the game will encourage people to just let people do what they love to do no matter what.

“I hope they learn that you can’t just go with the vast majority and judge women can’t do this and men can’t do that, little girls shouldn’t be here,” she said. “Just give people a chance. Let them try.”