NASHVILLE — A Tennessee Titans confirmed logo leak over the weekend evoked a wide range of strong emotions that always come with change. A part of that was the usual outrage from Houston Texans fans over the re-brand appearing to be a step towards embracing Tennessee’s Houston Oiler history.

It has become an annual tradition.

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Oilers History is Titans History

Let’s be clear: the Oilers uniforms, and everything else involving the club dating back to 1960 belongs to the franchise, not the city. That’s not opinion, that’s fact. When K.S. Bud Adams moved the organization to Tennessee in 1997, the records, colors, logos, and legacy moved with it. That’s how franchise lineage works in the NFL.

The uniforms don’t get left behind in Houston like used furniture on the curb.

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And yet, decades later, some Houston fans still want to litigate custody of a team that hasn’t played there since Bill Clinton’s first term. I get the emotional attachment — nostalgia is powerful — but nostalgia isn’t a legal claim. You don’t get to disown a franchise when it leaves and then demand the photo albums when it moves somewhere else.

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What makes it especially ridiculous is that Houston has its own team now.

The Texans aren’t an expansion afterthought anymore; they’ve had stars, playoff runs, and their own identity. So why spend energy yelling at Titans fans for acknowledging the roots of their own franchise history? The Adams family didn’t sell the history when the team relocated — they kept it. And today, controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk is stewarding what’s always been part of the organization’s DNA.

Houston isn’t supposed to like it.

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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Feb 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.