Steve McNair

football player

Personal Information

Born Steve LaTreal McNair on February 14, 1973, in Mount Olive, MS; son of Selma McNair (an offshore oil rig worker) and Lucille McNair (a factory worker); married Mechelle Cartwright, June 21, 1997; children: Junior, Steven, Tyler, Trenton; Died July 4, 2009 of gunshot wounds
Education: Attended Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS. <

Career

Tennessee Titans (formerly Houston, then Tennessee Oilers), professional football player, 1995-. Created Steve McNair Foundation to support youth activities.

Life's Work

The starting quarterback for the National Football League's Tennessee Titans, Steve McNair has developed into one of the most effective quarterbacks in the league. Following a spectacular college career, McNair progressed smoothly as a pro player. By 2003, he had led the Titans to the Super Bowl, though not to victory, and shared the title of the league's Most Valuable Player. Throughout his career, McNair has adopted a dependable and workmanlike approach rather than going for the flashy, high-risk play. McNair has the power to rocket the ball 75 yards downfield with pinpoint accuracy and is also one of the league's best scramblers, both inside and outside of the pocket.

McNair's life is a classic American success story. He was born on February 14, 1973. His father, Selma McNair, left the family when Steve was young, leaving McNair and his four brothers to be raised by their single mother, Lucille, in a ramshackle house in rural Mount Olive, Mississippi. She toiled as a factory worker, and money was scarce. Despite material hardships, she instilled an unshakable set of values in her sons--including loyalty, fairness, an appreciation for education, and a strong work ethic. Fred, the oldest brother and star athlete, served as the family's father figure, and carefully instructed Steve in every aspect of sports. Quoted in Sports Illustrated, McNair said, "Fred has taught me absolutely everything I know. I can't thank him enough for giving me a map and then showing me how to take the short road when he's taken the longer one." In fact, Steve's nickname, "Air McNair," was borrowed from Fred, who was the original "Air" in the family.

Showed Early Signs of Greatness

In a family with deep athletic gifts, Steve McNair was especially blessed--and not only with extraordinary talent (as well as huge hands), but also the determination and discipline to cultivate it. He had multiple options for pursuing a professional sports career. He starred in three sports at Mount Olive High: baseball, as a shortstop and outfielder, all-state four years running; basketball, at point guard; and football, in which he played both offense and defense. As cornerback, McNair set a state record for single-season pass interceptions (15) and tied the career mark (30). In 1989, he quarterbacked Mount Olive to a small-school state title when he was a junior. A strapping 6' 2", 220-pounder who could run 40 yards in 4.6 seconds and hurl a baseball 90 mph, McNair had both the strength and speed to play a multitude of positions. McNair was strongly tempted when the Seattle Mariners baseball team picked him in the 14th round of the amateur draft, but with some guidance from Fred and Lucille he opted to pass up that opportunity, as well as several college basketball offers.

McNair's first pivotal decision in football concerned his choice of college. Many of the powerhouse schools courted McNair, including Louisiana State, Miami, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Mississippi State. But they all wanted him as a defensive back, whereas he was determined to be a quarterback. Again, Fred's counsel helped him set a course, this time to Alcorn State, in Lorman, Mississippi, where Fred had starred as a quarterback and where Steve was guaranteed a shot at the position.

Alcorn, a predominantly black school, was the country's first black land-grant institution, the first black state-supported school, and the first to provide the NFL with a black player--Jack Spinks, drafted in 1952 as a fullback by the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is a member of the Division I-AA Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), which comprises other mostly black schools and has produced several football immortals, including all-time touchdown leader Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley) and all-time rushing leader Walter Payton (Jackson State). It was virtually a foregone conclusion that attending a Division I-AA school, rather than an I-A, would seriously impair or even scuttle McNair's shot at a Heisman Trophy and potentially hurt his chances for the NFL. But the assurance of a quarterback role and the proximity to home were major pulls for him, and he decided to take the chance.

Glory Years at Alcorn State

McNair's college career became the stuff of legend, a true story of the all-conquering hero. As a mere freshman, McNair set nine records and was named Southwestern Athletic Conference player of the year. In his sophomore year, he led the nation in total offense, average 405.7 yards per game. McNair racked up numerous 500-plus-passing-yard games, and many times he added another 100 or so rushing.

After his junior year, McNair again faced a choice--should he shoot for an NFL contract or stay for his senior year of college? Once he found out his draft status was first- or second-round, the enticement was especially strong to try for the kind of deal that Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler got when he left school early to sign with the Washington Redskins--$19.25 million over eight years. Steve wanted to take care of his mother and family financially and to get on with his professional career. But both Lucille and Fred urged him to finish his education--as well as strengthen his hand even further with one more outstanding college season.

McNair opted to remain in school, as he was quoted in Jet: "I am an Alcornite and will continue to be an Alcornite. I want my degree." During his senior year his game improved in several capacities. He learned how to hang in the pocket longer and find his receiver, while his rushing grew even more devastating. Among his other accomplishments that season, he finished with a phenomenal 44/17 touchdown/interception pass ratio.

Though McNair had a great year, his team fared poorly in post-season play. (Historically the SWAC champs had racked up an appalling 0-15 record in the I-AA playoffs.) In the first round of the playoffs, defending champion Youngstown (Ohio) State College destroyed Alcorn, 63-20. McNair showed great heart in playing with a badly-pulled hamstring. His rushing ability crippled, he still nailed 514 passing yards and three touchdowns. The game did not hurt his stature as a potential NFL draft pick, but it did not enhance his shot at clinching the coveted Heisman Trophy either. At season's end, McNair was third in voting for the prestigious award.

Signed with Oilers

On April 22, 1995, following a successful showing at the Senior Bowl and at the NFL scouting combine, McNair was chosen as the third pick in the first round of the draft by the Houston Oilers. Clearly, playing I-AA ball had not impeded McNair's standing. He became the highest-drafted black quarterback ever--a berth previously occupied by Andre Ware, who was chosen seventh in 1990 by the Detroit Lions. When the negotiations were finalized in August of 1995, McNair signed a contract for $28.4 million over seven years. At 22, he had become the Oilers' highest-paid player--not bad for the guy who had told Jet, "No matter what happens, I'm just Steve, the country boy from Mount Olive." Quarterbacks usually develop more gradually than other players. Not only is it the highest-profile position, with the most pressure, but it is also the most mentally challenging. NFL playbooks are vast, and reading the opposition's defense to make split-second play changes is incredibly complex. Plus, the pace of NFL play is far faster than in college ball and even the finest quarterback athletes can be intimidated by the speed of the action surrounding the pocket. As ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, discussing the development curve, said in USA Today, "With any quarterback, you really need to figure three years."

Oiler management made sure to cultivate McNair carefully; they did not want to rush him into play abruptly and expose him to damaging and unnecessary pressure. He was tutored intensively throughout the off-season by offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome, a premier quarterback teacher. Later, Les Steckel took on this role. During the 1995 and 1996 seasons, McNair's primary mission was to absorb knowledge and make the leap from the shotgun offense at Alcorn to the far more elaborate and turbo-charged conditions in the NFL.

Some of McNair's first games were rough initiations indeed, with the Arizona Cardinals blitzing him mercilessly in an exhibition game with as many as five pass rushers. But this merely fortified McNair's will; he knew this was part of his initiation. When starting quarterback Chris Chandler was injured late in McNair's first season, the rookie went into action. The results were impressive: in the December 11, 1995, game against the Detroit Lions, McNair entered after halftime with the Oilers down 17-7 and played out the game. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 203 yards, including a touchdown. In fact, McNair nearly pulled off a come-from-behind upset. There was little question in anyone's mind as to whether he could hack it as a pro. He started the next two games, helping the Oilers end the season with back-to-back victories over the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills.

In the 1996 season McNair played in ten games (starting in four), and completed an impressive 88 of 103 pass attempts for 1197 yards and six touchdowns. The team went 8-8, missing the playoffs by one game. In his first six starts, McNair threw seven touchdown passes with only two interceptions. However, his leadership most impressed the coaches. In a Sports Illustrated piece Steckel said, "Even though he's the most humble athlete I've encountered in pro sports, he's also a leader who exudes extreme confidence." Head coach Jeff Fisher said in the same article, "If you were going to put together a list of all the things you can't coach--poise, ability to lead, competitiveness, responsibility--he has them all."

In February of 1997, the Oilers traded Chandler to the Atlanta Falcons, and McNair's career as a starter began in earnest. Meanwhile, the franchise relocated to Tennessee that same year. With big changes afoot, there was a lot more pressure on McNair.

Rose to NFL Elite

As the steady starter at quarterback, McNair steadily accrued impressive stats on third-down conversions and pass completions, touchdowns per starts, and rushing, among others. In the 1997 season, for example, his 674 yards rushing was the third-highest for a quarterback in NFL history. By the end of that season, McNair had garnered the second-best overall rating of any quarterback drafted in the previous six years (trailing only the Jacksonville Jaguars' Mark Brunell). According to Bob Sherwin of the Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, McNair is "a quarterback on the cusp of greatness," one who "is beginning to make his impact on the NFL." In the article, McNair said: "The last part of the [1997] season it finally clicked for me."

From that point on, McNair has steadily become one of the league's best quarterbacks. At the end of the 1998 season, the Titans--the Oilers' new name--had placed second in the AFC Central. In 1999 McNair led to the Titans to an AFC championship. When he took the field as the starting quarterback against the St. Louis Rams, he became just the second black quarterback to start in the Super Bowl. Though the Titans lost the game to the Rams, McNair's strong performance did not go unnoticed around the league, where McNair was considered a rising star. The Titans signed McNair to a six-year, $47 million contract extension in July of 2001.

McNair's rise to prominence has not come without a great deal of pain. During the 1999 season, McNair had midseason surgery on a ruptured disk in his lower back, then shocked football fans by returning to led his team through the playoffs. McNair's back pain had been so severe that season that he could not sit for more than 15 minutes at a time, yet he played like a champion in games. Coach Jeff Fisher told Sports Illustrated for Kids that during the 2001 season, "We literally had to help him off the plane when we landed because of his lower back and two or three other [injuries]. Twenty-four hours later, we're beating Oakland, with Steve running around making plays. That's how he is." McNair overcame great pain again in 2002, when turf toe, strained rib cartilage, and an injured thumb kept him from practicing throughout November and December, though he player in games. Michael Silver wrote in Sports Illustrated that "the mild-mannered Mississippian is becoming a mythical figure in a sport in which the athletes pride themselves on playing hurt," but McNair's wife Mechelle offered a softer image when she explained "he's a big baby at home.... He'll be limping, grimacing, complaining all week, saying there's no way he'll play, and then I'll see him on Sunday running around like nothing's wrong." Coach Jeff Fisher told Football Digest, "Steve is the toughest player I have ever coached."

In 2002, the Titans rebounded from a 1-4 start by winning 10 of their last 11 games and taking the AFC Central championship. The Football Digest gave much of the credit for the turnaround to McNair, who inspired his teammates by overcoming a series of nagging injuries. Team owner Bud Adams told the magazine: "[McNair] doesn't know what pain is. He's a warrior." Ever humble, McNair explained: "We are professionals. We had to start playing like it. We had to look into ourselves and find a way to win. We couldn't allow things to keep going the way they started off." Their spectacular comeback season was ended when they lost 41-24 to the high-powered Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship game. McNair came in third in league MVP voting, but was not named to the Pro Bowl.

McNair's shining reputation was somewhat tarnished in the summer of 2003 when he was arrested on drunken driving charges and also found to be in illegal possession of a loaded handgun. McNair quickly acknowledged his fault in the incident. According to Jet, McNair announced: "It's something you don't usually see out of me. But I put myself in a situation. I've got to get out of it, and I will bounce back from it."

During the 2003 season, McNair put the troubles of the summer behind him and embarked on the most successful year of his career. Starting in 14 games, McNair piled up 3,215 passing yards while completing 62.5 percent of his passes. With 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, he led the NFL in quarterback ratings with a rating of 100.4. With running back Eddie George playing a smaller role in the team's offense, McNair was now clearly the star. The Titans finished the regular season 12-4, but were eliminated from the playoffs in a game played in frigid, snowy conditions against the New England Patriots.

In January of 2004 McNair was named the league's co-MVP, along with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. McNair was the first black quarterback ever to win the NFL's highest honor. "I would like to thank the guys who paved the way for myself and a lot of other guys," McNair told Jet, naming quarterbacks Warren Moon, Doug Williams, and Randall Cunningham. "Those guys paved the way for us as Black quarterbacks to come into the league and be successful." Later, McNair was named the league's MVP by the Associated Press. By the end of the 2003 season, he was one of just five quarterbacks to have passed for 20,000 yards and rushed for 3,000 yards.

Reflecting on his successes in a 2003 interview with the Sporting News, McNair said: "This is all I've ever wanted to do, what I dreamed about in Mississippi, playing on Sundays in the NFL. I'm not surprised by what is happening to me now. I just want to enjoy it and have fun with it. The opportunity is here. I don't want to waste it." As 2004 season began, many Titans fans hoped that soon McNair would achieve the greatest NFL dream of all: a Super Bowl title.

McNair died in 2009 from gunshot wounds inflicted by his mistress, in a murder-suicide.

Awards

Selected: SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, 1990-94; Nashville Sports Council, Sports Person of the Year, 2001-03; National Football League, Most Valuable Player (shared with Peyton Manning), 2003; Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award, 2003.

Further Reading

Books

• Stewart, Mark, Steve McNair: Running and Gunning, Millbrook Press, 2001.

• Football Digest, April 2003, p. 52; February 2004, p. 48.
• Jet, January 31, 1994, p. 50; September 26, 1994, p. 49; January 26, 2004, p. 46.
• Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, November 27, 1998.
• New York Times, September 28, 1994, p. B11; January 22, 1995, p. 2.
• Sports Illustrated, August 30, 1993, p. 76; September 26, 1994, p. 40; December 5, 1994, p. 85; September 1, 1997, p. 188; November 17, 2003, p. 56; September 6, 2004.
• Sports Illustrated for Kids, November 1, 2003, p. 58.
• The Sporting News, August 22, 1994, p. S8; November 28, 1994, p. 6; August 12, 1996, p. 42; January 3, 2000, p. 16; November 24, 2003, p. 14.
• USA Today, April 12, 1995.

• "Steve McNair," Tennessee Titans, www.titansonline.com (September 15, 2004).

— Mark Baven and Tom Pendergast

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Steve McNair

McNair as a member of the Ravens
No. 9
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: February 14, 1973(1973-02-14)
Place of birth: Mount Olive, Mississippi
Date of death: July 4, 2009(2009-07-04) (aged 36)
Place of death: Nashville, Tennessee
Career information
College: Alcorn State
NFL Draft: 1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
Debuted in 1995 for the Houston Oilers
Last played in 2007 for the Baltimore Ravens
Career history
Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans (1995–2005) Baltimore Ravens (2006–2007)
Career highlights and awards
3× Pro Bowl selection (2000, 2003, 2005) All-Pro selection (2003) AP NFL MVP (2003) 1994 Walter Payton Award
Career NFL statistics as of 2007
Pass attempts	4,544
Pass completions	2,733
Percentage	60.1
TD-INT	174-119
Passing yards	31,304
QB Rating	82.8
Stats at NFL.com

Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009)^[1] (Nicknamed Air McNair)^[2][3] was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans.^[4]

McNair played college football at Alcorn State in Lorman, Mississippi, where he won the 1994 Walter Payton Award as the top player in NCAA Division I-AA. He was drafted third overall by the NFL's Houston Oilers in 1995, becoming the Oilers' regular starting quarterback in 1997, their first season in Tennessee (though he started six games over the prior two seasons in Houston), and remained the starting quarterback for the Titans through 2005. After the 2005 season, McNair was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he played for two seasons before retiring after thirteen NFL seasons.^[5]

McNair led the Titans to the playoffs four times, and the Ravens once, and played in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans. He is the Titans' all-time leading passer. McNair was selected to the Pro Bowl three times, was All-Pro and Co-MVP in 2003, all as a Titan.^[6]

McNair died on July 4, 2009, when his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, shot and killed him before turning the gun on herself.

Contents 1 Early life 2 College career 3 Professional career 3.1 Houston Oilers 3.2 Tennessee Oilers/Titans 3.3 Baltimore Ravens 4 Personal life 5 Death 6 References 7 External links

Early life

McNair was born in Mount Olive, Mississippi, and attended Mount Olive High School as a freshman in the fall of 1987, where he played football, baseball, and basketball in addition to running track. As a junior, McNair led Mount Olive to the state championship. McNair also played free safety in high school, and in 1990 alone, he intercepted fifteen passes, raising his career total to 30, which tied the mark established by Terrell Buckley at Pascagoula High School.^[7] An All-State selection, McNair was named an All-American by Super Prep magazine.^[7]

The Seattle Mariners drafted him in the 35th round of the 1991 MLB amateur draft.^[8]

College career

McNair was initially offered a full scholarship to the University of Florida to play defensive back but wanting to play quarterback McNair chose division I-AA Alcorn State. McNair played college football for Alcorn State University, a historically black university which competes in the NCAA's Division I-AA (now known as the Football Championship Subdivision) Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). In 1992, McNair threw for 3,541 yards and 29 touchdowns, and ran in for 10 more scores. The Braves fashioned a record of 7–4, including a last-second victory in their rematch with Grambling. In that contest, McNair returned from an injury and helped Alcorn State, trailing late in the final period, move deep into Tigers' territory. Then, despite a leg injury, he tucked the ball under his arm and dove into the end zone for the winning touchdown. The victory over Grambling helped the Braves qualify for the I-AA playoffs. McNair helped Alcorn State to another good year in 1993, as the Braves upped their record to 8–3 while McNair threw for more than 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. He was also named First-Team All-SWAC for the third year in a row.

In his senior season, McNair gained nearly 6,000 yards rushing and passing, along with 53 touchdowns. In the process, he surpassed more than a dozen records and was named an All-American. In addition, McNair won the Walter Payton Award as the top I-AA player and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Rashaan Salaam and Ki-Jana Carter. McNair set career records for the Football Championship Series with 14,496 passing yards, as well as the division record for total offensive yards with 16,283 career yards.^[5] The records still stand.^[5]

He was a member of the fraternity Omega Psi Phi, highlighting his allegiance by tattooing “Omega Man” on his arm.^[7]

Professional career

Houston Oilers

With the third pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, the Oilers and new head coach Jeff Fisher selected McNair, who signed a seven-year contract. McNair did not see his first action until the last two series of the fourth quarter in a November game versus the Cleveland Browns. Late in the season, he also appeared briefly against the Detroit Lions and New York Jets. Meanwhile, starting quarterback Chris Chandler finished as the AFC's fourth-best passer. In 1996, McNair remained a backup to Chandler until starting a game in December against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tennessee Oilers/Titans

McNair's first season as the Oilers' starter in 1997 (the team's first year in Tennessee) resulted in an 8–8 record for the team, which played its home games at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. McNair's 2,665 passing yards were the most for the Oilers since Warren Moon in 1993, and his 13 interceptions were the fewest for a single season in franchise history. He also led the team in rushing touchdowns with eight and ranked second behind running back Eddie George with 674 yards on the ground, the third-highest total for a quarterback in NFL history.

In 1998, McNair set career passing highs with 492 attempts, 289 completions, 3,228 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Oilers, now competing in Nashville. He also cut his interceptions to ten, helping his quarterback rating climb to 80.1.

The team officially changed its name from Oilers to Titans for the 1999 season as they debuted a new stadium, Adelphia Coliseum. Early in the 1999 season, McNair was diagnosed with an inflamed disk following Tennessee's 36–35 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and needed surgery. In his stead entered Neil O'Donnell, a veteran who had guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl four years earlier. Over the next five games, O'Donnell led the Titans to a 4–1 record. McNair returned against the St. Louis Rams, and with McNair starting, Tennessee won seven of its last nine games, good for a record of 13–3 and second place in the AFC Central.

Tennessee opened the playoffs at home against the Buffalo Bills in a Wild Card game, winning on the "Music City Miracle" and eventually advancing to Super Bowl XXXIV in a re-match with the Rams. On the final play of the game, a McNair pass to Kevin Dyson was complete, but Dyson was unable to break the plane of the goal line, giving the Rams the win. McNair signed a new six-year contract after the season worth $47 million.^[9]

Following a 13–3 season in 2000 that ended in a playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the 28-year-old McNair put together his most productive year as a pro. McNair registered career passing highs in yards (3,350), completions (264), touchdowns (21) and quarterback rating (90.2). He was also the team's most effective rusher, tying George for the club lead with five scores. Named to the Pro Bowl for the first time, McNair sat out the game due to a shoulder injury.^[10]

In 2002, Tennessee finished the regular season 11-5 and reached the playoffs. In the divisional playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers, McNair threw for a career postseason high 338 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions, while rushing for 29 yards and another score on the ground. The game had a controversial finish when, after missing a game winning field goal at the end of regulation time and a second failed kick in overtime was negated because of a controversial running-into-the-kicker penalty on Pittsburgh's Dewayne Washington, kicker Joe Nedney won the game from 26 yards out 2:15 into overtime. Steelers coach Bill Cowher said that he called a timeout before the winning kick took place. McNair and the Titans reached the AFC Championship game but were unable to reach the Super Bowl, losing to the Oakland Raiders 41-24.

After this loss in 2002, McNair was arrested for DUI and illegal gun possession in May 2003. His blood alcohol was above 0.10, and a 9-mm handgun had been sitting in the front of the car.^[11] All charges related to the incident were later dropped.^[5]

In December of the 2003 season, an injured calf and ankle kept McNair on the sidelines for two games, though he still finished with the best numbers of his career, including 24 touchdown passes and a quarterback rating of 100.4. The Titans ended at 12–4, the same record as the Colts, but Indianapolis took the AFC South by virtue of its two victories over Tennessee. McNair and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning were named co-NFL MVPs following the season, which ended in a playoff loss to the New England Patriots for the Titans.

McNair missed the 2004 season's fourth game with a bruised sternum, an injury suffered the previous week against Jacksonville,^[12] and played in only five more games that season.

Baltimore Ravens

McNair seen being tackled during an October 2006 game against the San Diego Chargers.

Following the 2005 season, on April 30, 2006, the Titans allowed McNair and his agent, James "Bus" Cook, to speak with the Ravens to try to work out a deal.^[13] On May 1, 2006, the Baltimore Sun reported that the Baltimore Ravens might wait for McNair to be released by the Titans during free agency.^{[citation needed]} Speculation was that the Titans might hold onto McNair until the week before training camp in late July if the Ravens didn't come up with a satisfactory trade offer for McNair according to a league source.^[14] However, on June 7, 2006, the two teams worked out a deal to send McNair to the Ravens for a 4th-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. On June 8, McNair flew to Baltimore, passed a physical, and was announced as the newest member of the Ravens.^[13]

The 2006 season saw McNair start each game for the Ravens, missing only portions of two games. In the week 14 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, McNair threw the longest touchdown pass in the Ravens' history, when he threw an 89 yard touchdown pass to receiver Mark Clayton,^[15] McNair helped Baltimore to a 13–3 record and an AFC North Championship. McNair started at quarterback in his first playoff game as a Raven when his team faced the Colts on January 13, 2007. McNair was 18 of 29 for 173 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions, as the Ravens lost 15–6.

On May 9, 2007 McNair was a passenger in a car that was pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving. Both the driver of the vehicle, his brother-in-law, and McNair were arrested for driving under the influence. Under Tennessee law, one can still be arrested for DUI even if a passenger in one's own car and the driver is believed to be under the influence. McNair owned the pick-up truck involved and was charged with DUI by consent.^[16] The charges were dropped on July 10, 2007.^[17]

In 2007, McNair did not play in Week 2 against the Jets which the Ravens won 20–13. He also did not play the full game in Week 3, however, the game was won by the Ravens, 26–23. McNair missed nine more games during the rest of the season, including getting pulled after taking many hits from Steelers' linebacker James Harrison in Week 9, and fumbling the ball twice. McNair only started six games for the Ravens in 2007.

After thirteen seasons in the NFL, McNair announced his retirement in April 2008.^[18]

Personal life

McNair was married to Mechelle McNair^[19] from June 21, 1997 until his death. He split his time between a farm in Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee.^[5]

McNair had two sons by Mechelle: Steve LaTreal McNair, Steven O'Brian Koran McNair; and two sons - Tyler and Trenton - by two other women.^[20]

McNair earned the nickname "Air McNair" in High School. He opened his own restaurant in Nashville, which he named Gridiron9.^[21] In addition to that, Steve McNair was the mentor to former Titans' quarterback Vince Young, who was greatly affected by the death of his teacher.

Death

On July 4, 2009, McNair was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds, along with the body of a young woman named Sahel Kazemi, in a condominium rented by McNair, at 105 Lea Avenue in downtown Nashville.^[22] McNair had been shot twice in the body and twice in the head, with only one of the shots coming from closer than three feet.^[23][24][25] Kazemi had a single gunshot wound to the head, which was proved to have been fired from a gun that was held to her temple. McNair was believed to have been asleep on the couch when the shooting occurred. The bodies were discovered by McNair's friends Wayne Neely and Robert Gaddy, who called 911.^[26] The Nashville police declared McNair's death a murder-suicide, with Kazemi as the perpetrator^[27] and McNair as the victim.^[28] The 9-mm gun used was found under Kazemi's body and later tests revealed "trace evidence of (gunpowder) residue on her left hand."^[27] Kazemi had a worsening financial situation and also suspected that McNair was in another extramarital relationship.^[29][30]

McNair, who was married at the time, had been dating the 20-year-old Kazemi in the months prior to their deaths.^[31][32] Two days before their deaths, Kazemi was pulled over in a black 2007 Cadillac Escalade in Nashville with McNair in the passenger seat and Vent Gordon, a chef at a restaurant McNair owned, in the back seat. The vehicle was registered in the names of both McNair and Kazemi. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.^[22] McNair was not arrested, instead leaving in a taxi with Gordon, despite Kazemi repeatedly asking the arresting officer to tell McNair he could come to the police car to talk to her. However, McNair later bailed Kazemi out of jail.^[33] Police later stated that after release from jail, Kazemi purchased the gun from a convicted murderer she met while looking for a buyer for her Kia.^[34]

Titans owner Bud Adams released a statement regarding McNair:^[35]

“

We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today. He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they deal with his untimely passing.

”

In a statement to the AP, Ozzie Newsome, executive vice president and general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, stated:^[23][36]

“

This is so, so sad. We immediately think of his family, his boys. They are all in our thoughts and prayers. What we admired most about Steve when we played against him was his competitive spirit, and we were lucky enough to have that with us for two years. He is one of the best players in the NFL over the last 20 years...

”

The Titans held a two-day memorial at LP Field on July 8 and 9, 2009, where fans could pay their last respects to McNair. Highlights from his career were played throughout each day and fans were able to sign books that were later given to the McNair family.

During the 2009 NFL season, every member of the Titans wore a commemorative "9" sticker placed on the back of each helmet to honor McNair. Funeral services were held for McNair at the Reed Coliseum on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi on July 11 at 11:00 AM (CST) and he is buried at Griffith Cemetery in Prentiss, Mississippi.

On October 15, 2010 it was reported that McNair’s widow went to a Nashville judge and asked that at least a portion of the assets be unfrozen so that his children could have some sort of monetary source. The judge agreed and each of the four children received $500,000.^[37]

References

1. ^ Steve McNair Found Dead. WTVF, 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
2. ^ "Remembering "Air McNair" - NCAA Football". Sporting News. http://www.sportingnews.com/college-football/article/2009-07-04/remembering-air-mcnair. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
3. ^ "Remembering Air McNair". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-500151_162-5133395.html. 
4. ^ Steve McNair Stats, News, Photos. ESPN.com. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} Shooting Unveils Very Different Sides of Ex-NFL Quarterback Steve McNair. Fox News, 2009-07-06. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
6. ^ McNair helped bring stability and success to vagabond franchise
7. ^ ^{a b c} "The Steve McNair Foundation". Officialstevemcnair.com. 1973-02-14. http://www.officialstevemcnair.com/biography.php. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
8. ^ . http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?query_type=name&name=mcnair. 
9. ^ Notes: Favre backs McNair; Leinart hires Condon. USA Today, 2006-04-22. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
10. ^ The Steve McNair Foundation, Biography. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
11. ^ Judge: Officer didn't have 'sufficient basis' to stop McNair for DUI. CBSSports.com, 2004-07-22. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
12. ^ McNair hospitalized with bruised sternum. UPI, 2004-09-27. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
13. ^ ^{a b} Walker, Teresa M. McNair introduced as Ravens' new starting QB. USA Today, 2006-06-08. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
14. ^ Clayton, John. McNair could have playoff impact in Baltimore. ESPN.com, 2006-05-24. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
15. ^ A Look Back at the Career of Steve McNair:Career Highlights, 2006 Baltimore www.titansonline.com
16. ^ Hensley, Jamison (2007-05-10). "Ravens' McNair arrested on DUI charge". Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-mcnair0510,0,2911203.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines. 
17. ^ Walker, Teresa, DUI charge against McNair dropped (July 10, 2007), Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on July 10, 2007.
18. ^ McNair Says Goodbye to Ravens, NFL
19. ^ The Steve McNair Foundation, Biography
20. ^ "McNair's estate not a problem". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 2009-07-29. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4364855. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
21. ^ Humbles, Andy. McNair's new restaurant open. The Tennessean, 2009-06-22. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
22. ^ ^{a b} Kate Howard; Jaime Sarrio; Chris Echegaray (2009-07-04). "Steve McNair and Sahel Kazemi killed". The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee). http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090704/SPORTS01/90704013/0/SPORTS01/UPDATED+9+05+p.m.++Steve+McNair+and+Sahel+Kazemi+killed+. Retrieved 2009-07-05. 
23. ^ ^{a b} Former NFL quarterback McNair killed in Tennessee
24. ^ "Autopsy planned for slain NFL star Steve McNair". Reuters. 2009-07-05. http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5632LE20090705. 
25. ^ Blake Farmer (2009-07-05). "Steve McNair Found Dead". WPLN-FM (Nashville, Tennessee: WPLN-FM). http://wpln.org/?p=9180. Retrieved 2009-07-05. 
26. ^ "[NFL] Police Release 911 Tapes In Steve McNair Case". Gridironfans.com. http://gridironfans.com/forums/latest-nfl-headlines/101576-police-release-911-tapes-steve-mcnair-case.html. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
27. ^ ^{a b} Police Declare Murder-Suicide in Steve McNair case
28. ^ Fleeman, Mike. Coroner: Steve McNair a Victim of Murder-Suicide People, July 8, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
29. ^ "Yahoo! Sports - Sports News, Scores, Rumors, Fantasy Games, and more". Sports.yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-mcnairkilled&prov=ap&type=lgns. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
30. ^ Official Newsletter of the Metro Nashville Police Department, July 10, 2009
31. ^ The News Journal, Police: Steve McNair death is apparent murder-suicide
32. ^ Kate Howard (2009-07-07). "Woman's gun ID'd in Steve McNair death, but questions linger". The Tennessean (USA Today). http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-07-07-mcnair-mainbar_N.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-07. 
33. ^ The New York Post: QB GAVE GAL A GOODBYE DISS
34. ^ The Clarion-Ledger: Police: Kazemi bought gun found at scene
35. ^ Statement From Titans Owner K.S. 'Bud' Adams, Jr. Regarding Steve McNair. TitansOnline.com, 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
36. ^ Former QB Steve McNair Found Murdered baltimoreravens.com
37. ^ Associated Press (2010-10-15). "Judge Gives McNair's Widow, Children $500k each". Miami Herald. 

External links

External videos
	McNair at Alcorn State
	McNair with the Tennessee Titans
	McNair's retirement press conference

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Steve McNair

• The Nashville Tennessean:AP Obituary
• The Steve McNair Foundation
• ESPN.com: Player profile - Steve McNair
• Pro-Football-Reference.com: Steve McNair Bio
• Baltimore Ravens: Steve McNair Retirement
• Tennessee Titans: A Look Back at the Career of Steve McNair
• Steve McNair at Find A Grave

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Rich Gannon	AP NFL Most Valuable Player 2003 season (Co-MVP Peyton Manning)	Succeeded by Peyton Manning

v d e Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award 1966: Starr 1967: Davis 1968: Meador 1969: Sayers 1970: Alexander 1971: May 1972: Russell 1973: Little 1974: Bleier 1975: Hart 1976: Alzado 1977: Manning 1978: Staubach 1979: Upshaw 1980: Houston 1981: Harris 1982: Dieken 1983: Benirschke 1984: Williams 1985: Moore 1986: Martin 1987: Cherry 1988: Singletary 1989: Newsome 1990: Kenn 1991: R. White 1992: Lowery 1993: Kelso 1994: Thomas 1995: Brooks 1996: Zorich 1997: Nickerson 1998: Carter 1999: Pelfrey 2000: McCrary 2001: Brunell 2002: Vincent 2003: Brooks 2004: Manning 2005: McNair 2006: Lynch 2007: Dunn 2008: Dawkins 2009: Asomugha 2010: Richardson

v d e Walter Payton Award winners 1987: Gamble 1988: Meggett 1989: Friesz 1990: Dean 1991: Martin 1992: Payton 1993: Nussmeier 1994: McNair 1995: Dickenson 1996: Amerson 1997: Finneran 1998: Azumah 1999: Peterson 2000: Ivory 2001: Westbrook 2002: Romo 2003: Branch 2004: Campbell 2005: Meyer 2006: Santos 2007: Foster 2008: Edwards 2009: Edwards 2010: Moses 2011: Mitchell

v d e 1995 NFL Draft First Round Selections Ki-Jana Carter · Tony Boselli · Steve McNair · Michael Westbrook · Kerry Collins · Kevin Carter · Mike Mamula · Joey Galloway · Kyle Brady · J. J. Stokes · Derrick Alexander · Warren Sapp · Mark Fields · Ruben Brown · Ellis Johnson · Hugh Douglas · Tyrone Wheatley · Napoleon Kaufman · James Stewart · Luther Elliss · Rashaan Salaam · Tyrone Poole · Ty Law · Korey Stringer · Billy Milner · Devin Bush · Mark Bruener · Derrick Brooks · Blake Brockermeyer · Craig Powell · Trezelle Jenkins · Craig Newsome Draft years 70  · 71  · 72  · 73  · 74  · 75  · 76  · 77  · 78  · 79  · 80  · 81  · 82  · 83  · 84  · 85  · 86  · 87  · 88  · 89  · 90  · 91  · 92  · 93  · 94  · 95  · 96  · 97  · 98  · 99  · 00  · 01  · 02  · 03  · 04  · 05  · 06  · 07  · 08  · 09  · 10  · 11

v d e Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans first-round draft picks Cannon · Ditka · Jacobs · Brabham · Appleton · Elkins · Nobis · Regner · Webster · Pritchard · Wilkerson · Pastorini · Sampson · Amundson · Matuszak · Brazile · Hardeman · Towns · Campbell · Munchak · Matthews · Steinkuhler · R. Johnson · Childress · Everett · Jeffires · Highsmith · White · Williams · Lathon · Hopkins · Ford · McNair · George · Holmes · Dyson · Kearse · Bulluck · Haynesworth · Woolfolk · Jones · Young · Griffin · C. Johnson · Britt · Morgan · Locker AFC East: BUF  · MIA  · NE  · NYJ • North: BAL  · CIN  · CLE  · PIT • South: HOU  · IND  · JAC  · TEN • West: DEN  · KC  · OAK  · SD NFC East: DAL  · NYG  · PHI  · WAS • North: CHI  · DET  · GB  · MIN • South: ATL  · CAR  · NO  · TB • West: ARI  · STL  · SF  · SEA

v d e NFL MVP Award from the Associated Press 1957: J. Brown 1958: J. Brown 1959: Unitas 1960: Not Awarded 1961: Hornung 1962: J. Taylor 1963: Tittle 1964: Unitas 1965: J. Brown 1966: Starr 1967: Unitas 1968: Morrall 1969: Gabriel 1970: Brodie 1971: Page 1972: L. Brown 1973: Simpson 1974: Stabler 1975: Tarkenton 1976: Jones 1977: Payton 1978: Bradshaw 1979: Campbell 1980: Sipe 1981: Anderson 1982: Moseley 1983: Theismann 1984: Marino 1985: Allen 1986: L. Taylor 1987: Elway 1988: Esiason 1989: Montana 1990: Montana 1991: Thomas 1992: Young 1993: Smith 1994: Young 1995: Favre 1996: Favre 1997: Favre & Sanders 1998: Davis 1999: Warner 2000: Faulk 2001: Warner 2002: Gannon 2003: Manning & McNair 2004: Manning 2005: Alexander 2006: Tomlinson 2007: Brady 2008: Manning 2009: Manning 2010: Brady

v d e Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans starting quarterbacks George Blanda (1960–1966) Jacky Lee (1960–1967) Don Trull (1964–1969) Buddy Humphrey (1966) Pete Beathard (1967–1969) Bob Davis (1967–1969) Charley Johnson (1970–1971) Jerry Rhome (1970) Dan Pastorini (1971–1979) Lynn Dickey (1971–1974) Kent Nix (1972) John Hadl (1976–1977) Gifford Nielsen (1979–1983) Ken Stabler (1980–1981) John Reaves (1981) Archie Manning (1982–1983) Oliver Luck (1983–1986) Warren Moon (1984–1993) Brent Pease (1987) Cody Carlson (1988–1993) Billy Joe Tolliver (1994) Bucky Richardson (1994) Chris Chandler (1995–1996) Steve McNair (1995–2005) Will Furrer (1995) Neil O'Donnell (1999–2003) Billy Volek (2003–2005) Matt Mauck (2005) Vince Young (2006–2010) Kerry Collins (2006–2010) Rusty Smith (2010) Matt Hasselbeck (2011–present)

v d e Baltimore Ravens starting quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde (1996–1997) Eric Zeier (1997–1998) Jim Harbaugh (1998) Scott Mitchell (1999) Stoney Case (1999) Tony Banks (1999–2000) Trent Dilfer (2000) Elvis Grbac (2001) Randall Cunningham (2001) Chris Redman (2002) Jeff Blake (2002) Kyle Boller (2003–2007) Anthony Wright (2003–2005) Steve McNair (2006–2007) Troy Smith (2007) Joe Flacco (2008–present)

v d e 2004 Pro Bowl AFC starters Offense QB Steve McNair | RB Jamal Lewis | FB Tony Richardson | WR Marvin Harrison | WR Chad Johnson | TE Tony Gonzalez OT Jonathan Ogden | OT Willie Roaf | G Alan Faneca | G Will Shields | C Kevin Mawae Defense DE Dwight Freeney | DE Adewale Ogunleye | DT Richard Seymour | DT Marcus Stroud OLB Peter Boulware | OLB Takeo Spikes | ILB Ray Lewis CB Ty Law | CB Patrick Surtain | FS Ed Reed | SS Brock Marion Special Teams P Craig Hentrich | K Mike Vanderjagt | KR Dante Hall | ST Adalius Thomas

Persondata
Name	McNair, Steve LaTreal
Alternative names	Air McNair
Short description	American football quarterback
Date of birth	1973-2-14
Place of birth	Mount Olive, Mississippi
Date of death	2009-7-4
Place of death	Nashville, Tennessee

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