He was the Chairman of Cogene Biotech Ventures. He lived the majority of his life in Houston, Texas. He formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998 to explore the acquisition of a professional football franchise. He successfully bid for an NFL team, and in 1999 he and his partners paid $700 million for the franchise that would become  The Houston Texans. The Texas began professional play in 2002 and in his lifetime won four division titles. Robert McNair died on November 23, 2018 at the age of 80. He is survived by his wife, four children and 15 grandchildren.