Jamey Rootes was the first team president for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He was hired as the president of Houston Texans by the late owner Bob McNair in 2000, the year Texans played their first ever NFL game. He served as the president of Houston Texans for a long time period of 20 years before announcing his resignation last year.
How did Jamey Rootes die?
Jamey Rootes, the Former President of Houston Texans, died at the age of 56, after a battle with mental health issues, his wife, Melissa Rootes confirmed this tragic news on Monday evening through her social media.
Melissa Wildgen Rootes shared a Facebook post announcing the death of her husband, James Rootes in his hometown Houston following a “battle with mental health issues.”
“Our family is heartbroken to confirm that Jamey Rootes has passed away on Sunday, August 21, 2022 in Houston, Texas after a battle with mental health issues. Jamey was best known for his devotion to his family and friends but was also former President of the Houston Texans, retiring in 2021. Jamey was a dedicated Houstonian who loved his city and touched so many lives through his professional, academic, and philanthropic work. Our family is requesting privacy and will not be responding to media inquiries.”
Concluding her post she wrote that, “If you or any of your loved one’s are thinking about suicide, or experiencing a health crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline right now at 1-800-273-8255.”
What was the cause of Jamey Rootes Death?
Jamey Rootes passed away after a long battle with mental health issues, however it is not clear what kind of mental issues he was facing and what were the reasons behind them. Till now, prolonged illness along with mental health issues is considered to be the cause of the death of the former Houston Texans president, Jamey Rootes.
Jamey Rootes Personal Life Details:
Birthplace and Family:
Jamey Rootes was born in Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States (US) and he was 56 years old when he died. Melissa Rootes is the wife of Jamey Rootes, and the couple has two children together ; Caroline Rootes & Chris Rootes.
Education :
Jamey Rootes went to Clemson University, where he became a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and played on the soccer team. He earned an MBA at Indiana University Bloomington and also served as an assistant soccer coach in the university.
Net Worth :
The former Houston Texans president, Jamey Rootes is estimated to have a net worth of around 5 Million Dollars at time of his death.
Further details about the celebration of Jamey’s life will be announced later by the Rootes family.
Jamey Rootes Career Details:
Jamey Rootes was the first team president for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). During his tenure with the Texans, he was responsible for all business functions of the team, he oversaw many things including the creation and launch of the team’s identity.
Rootes continued working as the president of Houston Texans for around 20 years before his resignation in February 2021. He also served as the President of Lone Star Sports & Entertainment (LSSE), a sports management agency associated with the Texans.
Jamey Rootes who was among the most popular American sports executives, has also worked as the chief executive officer of the Houston Dynamo FC of Major League Soccer and Houston Dash of National Women’s Soccer League before he stepped down from his duties just 18 days later.
Major Accomplishments:
Under his leadership, the team was consistently recognized among the most valuable professional sports franchises in the NFL and even globally. During his tenure, the Texans earned many distinctions, which included numerous “Crystal Awards” and among the various achievements the most recent were, two American Business Awards for marketing excellence. Following the 2019 season of the NFL, the Texans extended their sellout game streak to 185 consecutive home games – which is a Houston NFL record.
Houston Texans Pays Tribute to Jamey Rootes
McNair’s widow Janice, son Cal and daughter-in-law Hannah issued a joint statement through the official twitter handle of Houston Texans, in Rootes honor, after the death of the former Texans president due to mental health issues.
“We are heartbroken to learn that former Houston Texans President Jamey Rootes has passed away. For two decades, Jamey led our business operations with an unwavering commitment to the Houston Texans. We are really grateful for his steadfast leadership and immeasurable contributions to the Texans. Our thoughts are with Jamey’s wife, Melissa, & their two children during his extremely difficult time,” the statement reads.