No Flag During the Game, Yet Texans’ Rookie RB Still Hit With a Heavy NFL Fine — Chairman Cal McNair Pushes Back to Defend His Player, But the Player’s Response Stuns Everyone

Houston, Texas – The season is over for the Houston Texans, but the fallout from their Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots continues. This time, the spotlight isn’t on play-calling or the final score — it’s on a controversial NFL fine levied against rookie running back Woody Marks.

During the game, Marks was not flagged on a key collision. However, after reviewing the film, the NFL ruled that the play violated league safety standards and fined Marks $6,061 for unnecessary roughness due to impermissible use of the helmet. The decision sparked immediate debate inside the organization and among Texans fans, especially given that the action occurred in plain sight and drew no penalty in real time.

The response from the top of the organization was swift. Cal McNair, the Texans’ chairman, publicly voiced his disagreement with the league’s ruling and stood firmly behind his young player.

“He didn’t deserve a penalty that severe,” McNair said. “During the game, the officials didn’t throw a flag on that play. We respect the league and its rules, but this is a tough decision to accept — especially for a young player giving everything he has in a playoff game.”

McNair’s comments echoed a broader concern within the Texans’ building: when a play isn’t ruled illegal on the field, postgame discipline can feel inconsistent, particularly when it impacts a rookie still trying to establish himself in the league.

Yet while the organization chose to challenge the ruling, Woody Marks took a very different approach. Instead of leaning into the controversy or hiding behind executive support, the 25-year-old running back took full responsibility for his performance, focusing not on the fine but on the mistakes that hurt his team.

“I kind of let the team down with that fumble,” Marks admitted after the game. “I was trying to make a big play, get something out of it, and I ended up making it worse.”

That moment of accountability resonated inside the Texans’ locker room. For a rookie, openly accepting blame after a playoff loss — while simultaneously dealing with league discipline — is no small thing. But it was precisely that response that earned Marks respect from teammates and coaches alike, not for his stat line, but for his mindset and maturity under pressure.

In the bigger picture, this story isn’t just about a $6,061 fine. It highlights a broader reality facing the Texans: discipline, consistency, and the development of young players under playoff-level scrutiny. Cal McNair may push back against the league to defend principle, but Woody Marks chose the harder path — owning his mistake and looking inward.

For Houston, the 2025 season is in the books. For Woody Marks, this moment could prove formative — not because of the NFL’s punishment, but because of how he responded when the spotlight was brightest.