With the Tennessee Titans set to release the Houston Oilers throwback uniforms on Sunday night, the rights to the Oilers’ history has been a popular topic of conversation on social media as of late.
While many believe the Oilers’ history should have stayed in Houston, the reality is, this team will always belong to the Adams family and the Titans.
And if you realistically expect Amy Adams Strunk to ever give up her father’s legacy (Bud Adams founded the Oilers, of course), you’ll be disappointed.
Houston Texans legend, J.J. Watt, recently weighed in on how cool several of the throwback uniforms have been, and he admitted that as much as it “pains” him to see the Titans wearing it, seeing the Oilers uniform back on a football field is going to be a “great look.”
Some of the throwback uniforms coming out this season in the NFL are straight 🔥
Seahawks, Bucs creamsicles, Vikings classics, sounds like there may be some Kelly green coming in Philly and Oilers in Tennessee (as much as that pains me, it will be a great look)
Lotta heat. pic.twitter.com/KGXyjbHH5z
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 19, 2023
Watt was then asked how something like that could possibly hurt him when he was never part of the Oilers franchise, and he gave a rather elaborate and respectable answer.
“I lived in Houston for 10 years,” Watt wrote. “My first training camp I met Bum Phillips. I was coached by Wade [Phillips]. I’ve seen first hand how much the people of Houston loved the Oilers. Earl [Campbell], Bruce [Matthews], Warren [Moon], Dr. Doom [Robert Brazile], etc. Luv Ya Blue is real.
“So yeah it pains me for Houston and those fans.”
I lived in Houston for 10 years. My first training camp I met Bum Phillips. I was coached by Wade. I’ve seen first hand how much the people of Houston loved the Oilers. Earl, Bruce, Warren, Dr. Doom, etc. Luv Ya Blue is real.
So yeah it pains me for Houston and those fans. https://t.co/ncAR01a6BZ
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 19, 2023
As sad as all of the soliloquies coming out of Houston have been in regard to the Titans having the rights to Oilers throwbacks, the simple solution they all could’ve chosen was to follow the team to Tennessee.
Perhaps those Oilers fans who didn’t make the transition into becoming Titans fans weren’t real fans of the franchise to begin with. Instead, they should be considered fans of Houston pro sports teams — and that’s perfectly OK.
As for the real supporters of the franchise who did evolve into Titans fans, they’ll finally have their loyalty rewarded this fall when they get the chance to cheer for their beloved Oilers once again.