when did the oilers leave houston
John McClain, a Waco native who graduated from Baylor in 1975, has covered the NFL, including the Oilers and Texans, for four-plus decades at the Houston Chronicle. Photo taken 10/21/99 by Carlos Antonio Rios. "This was really the last frontier on our expansion list," Adams said. Houston Oilers (1960–1996) Main article: History of the Houston Oilers The Titans were originally formed as the Houston Oilers, one of the eight charter members of the American Football League (AFL). Oilers players Barron Wortham and Reggie Lewis leave the field after the final Oilers game played in the Astrodome, a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Dec. 15, 1996. Houston's late mayor, Bob Lanier, knew the only way he wouldn't win a final term in a landslide was to join Adams' efforts to get public money. The finished result, which went online for the 1989 season, was what Bud Adams called the best stadium in the NFL. The Oilers instead got an up-close look at how far the Leafs have come since losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the August qualifying round. (Smiley N. Pool/Chronicle) HOUCHRON CAPTION (07/23/2002): While being cradled by Texans mascot Toro, 10-month-old Rosecal Barnett gazes curiously at fan Preston Chauvin, left, at the team's inaugural training camp on Monday. When the Astros refused, Adams told McClure to look around for a city willing to build him a new stadium. 06/14/1993 - Houston Oilers owner Kenneth "Bud" Adams responds to reporters' questions during his first press conference since the Oilers vs. Bills playoff game last year. CHRISTOBAL PEREZ/HOUSTON CHRONICLE. But never, ever blame the move on the Houston fanbase. The referendum passed 59 to 41 percent. In their first season in Nashville, they played home games at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. 1980 saw the Oilers go 11-5 and achieve a wild card spot for the third year in a row, but they were quickly vanquished by Oakland 27-7. All-time Receiving Leader: Ernest Givins 542 rec, 7,935 yds, 46 TD HOUCHRON CAPTION (11/25/2002): David Carr raises his helmet in triumph as he runs off the field at Reliant Stadium Sunday following the Texans' 16-14 upset victory over the New York Giants. To sum it up, it's a big mess. There was never a referendum to see what the public wanted. The team was quarterbacked by a young Steve McNair, who handed the ball off to a young Eddie George. The Texans are preparing to enter their 15th season, but they would have never existed if the Oilers and owner Bud Adams hadn't picked up and moved in 1997 after failing to get the city of Houston to build them a new stadium. It was poorly promoted by fans, and only a handful showed up. The late-1970s "Luv ya Blue" Houston Oilers provide context, the relationship with their fans serving as professional football's definitive example of a torrid love affair between a city and a team. Terms, He devised a plan that would allow for a reconfiguration of seats from the floor to the ceiling. Newsletters; Sign In 5:25 PM PT-- Two very different approaches to the national anthem to start the NFL season -- the Houston Texans left the field while the KC Chiefs linked arms on the goal line. 02/09/1990 - Houston Oilers v Cleveland Browns at Astrodome. (Dave Einsel/Houston Chronicle). He's a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors Committee and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee. The Devils got a new deal to stay at home. By clicking 'X' or continuing to use the site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. “If anything – I think about the Rams and Chargers – we set an example in how you don’t want to move a franchise. The … (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle) HOUCHRON CAPTION (09/23/2002): Texans running back Jonathan Wells breaks into the clear for a second-quarter game, leaving Colts defenders Idrees Bashir (28) and Walt Harris (21) behind. The move would leave the N.F.L. As a member of the NFL's finance committee, he was privy to everything St. Louis was offering the Rams to relocate from Los Angeles. So it’s okay to use the Oilers as a guide for what not to do when relocating a NFL franchise. The 1996 and 1997 seasons were supposed to be played in Houston while Nashville built a stadium for the team to play. Join the Press community and help support independent local journalism in Houston. Seasons: 61 (1960 to 2020) Record (W-L-T): 451-475-6 Playoff Record: 17-22 Super Bowls Won: 0 (1 Appearance) Championships Won *: 2 . He also failed to let Rockets owner Les Alexander in on his plan, and Alexander wanted nothing to do with sharing a facility.