Tennessee Titans Owner Gives $1M To Hurricane Harvey Flood Relief Effort

NASHVILLE, TN — There's plenty of connections between the Tennessee Titans and the city of Houston. The Oilers, of course, relocated from Houston to Nashville by way of Memphis in the late 1990s. Both teams play in the AFC South. Late Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams lived in Houston even after the team's move and his family continues to live in the now-flood-ravaged city.

Now, his daughter and the team's controlling owner, Amy Adams Strunk, is donating $1 million to a flood relief fund started by J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans, the NFL team that replaced the Oilers.

(For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

“The flooding and devastation to the Houston area has been painful to watch,” Strunk said in a release. “As a native to the area, I have been so encouraged to see how the locals and the nation as a whole have come together to help one another. The NFL, at the end of the day, is a family that helps one another in times of need. J.J. has created a dynamic where boots will be on the ground with immediate aid to those who need it. The Titans want to be a part of his effort to help the Houston community as it rebuilds. I talked with him earlier today and he was very appreciative. We discussed his plans and I know he is determined to help as many people as he can.”

Strunk's donation is above and beyond the $25,000 donation from the Titans Foundation.

After Tuesday's practice, Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo said his brother was using his boat to rescue Houstonians.

“My brother, as of right now, has his boat with his friends and is actually going to people’s homes, saving people from their homes flooded out,” Orakpo said, according to The Tennessean. “Just trying to get people on common ground, trying to help neighborhoods that are in need.”

Both Orakpo and tight end Phillip Supernaw are from the Houston area and both said their families are safe. Orakpo said despite the tragedy, there is a heartening side to the seemingly unrelenting devastation.

"Out of all the B.S. that goes around in this country and in the world in general, the fortunate thing is it takes catastrophes and stuff like that for people to — you really see the good side of people, everybody coming together for all kind of different backgrounds or religion or whatever the case may be. Everybody is coming together and helping one another. Communities are reaching out. Everybody. It’s remarkable to see the live pictures and video I get. Everybody’s just helping each other, lending a hand, helping their neighbors out," he said.

Image via Tennessee Titans