NFL hands down indefinite suspension, $500K fine to Texans minority owner
The league’s ruling ends a multi-year investigation into allegations that led to Loya’s 2023 criminal charges and eventual plea agreement.
The NFL has issued an indefinite suspension and $500,000 fine to Houston Texans minority owner Javier Loya, concluding a lengthy investigation into allegations of rape and sexual abuse first brought forward in 2023. The league announced the discipline Thursday, determining that Loya violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Loya, a limited partner in the Texans’ ownership group since the team’s inaugural 2002 season, had already been barred from participating in team or league activities since charges were filed nearly two years ago. Thursday’s ruling formalizes that separation and prohibits Loya from applying for reinstatement until June 2026.
The NFL has suspended Houston Texans minority owner Javier Loya indefinitely and has fined him $500,000, the league said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle on Thursday. The suspension and fine comes in the wake of a years-long investigation into Loya and his conduct after he… pic.twitter.com/4jOiiPgjA6
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) December 11, 2025
A case that spanned several years
The allegations stemmed from two gatherings held at Loya’s Louisville home in 2022. In May 2023, Kentucky authorities issued an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree rape, five counts of first-degree sexual abuse, and one count of third-degree sexual abuse.
In early 2024, Loya entered an Alford plea to a misdemeanor charge, “harassment with intent to annoy”, allowing him to maintain his claim of innocence while acknowledging sufficient evidence for conviction. All seven sexual assault charges were subsequently dismissed, but the NFL proceeded with its own review of the case.
After months of interviews, document collection, and cooperation from the Houston Texans, Commissioner Roger Goodell determined that Loya’s actions violated league standards for conduct.
The Texans released a statement reinforcing the league’s decision and distancing themselves from Loya:
“The Texans cooperated with the NFL’s investigation and fully support the suspension of Javier Loya, one of our outside limited partners. This behavior has no place in our organization or our community.”
The team also noted that Loya has not participated in organizational or league operations since charges were first filed in 2023, a restriction that will continue indefinitely. This is the second time the minority owner has faced league investigation. In 2008, the NFL looked into allegations that Loya had participated in high-stakes gambling, which was prohibited for owners at the time.
While the Texans’ ownership structure remains unchanged operationally, Loya is a passive minority partner, the suspension effectively removes him from any involvement for at least the next year and a half. Should he seek reinstatement in 2026, the league will conduct a separate review before any decision is made.
For now, the ruling closes one of the NFL’s longest-running conduct investigations, leaving the Texans to continue their operations without a partner who has become increasingly distant from the organization in recent years.
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