Steve McNair Was an NFL Great
MVP Quarterback McNair Came Within One Yard of Gridiron History
Jul 6, 2009
Retired NFL standout quarterback Steve McNair formally of the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans, and Baltimore Ravens was found on July 4th, 2009 with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and head. As reported by ABC, CBS, CNN and NBC news organizations, McNair died in a downtown Nashville condominium he rented with some friends.
McNair was found with a twenty-year-old woman named Sahel Kazemi, who he had reportedly been in a romantic relationship with for some months. She was also found dead at the scene of a single gunshot wound to the head.
Steve McNair a College Football Standout
According to the NFL's website NFL.com, McNair was an exceptional standout athlete at the historically black college Alcorn State University, leading the team his senior year with almost 6,000 yards rushing and passing. He accounted for fifty-three (53) touchdowns, surpassed more than a dozen records, and was named to the All-American football squad.
In addition, McNair won the Walter Payton Award as the premier I-AA division player and came in third in the selection process for the Heisman Trophy.
Drafted by the NFL's Houston Oilers
Upon entering the NFL draft, McNair was selected third overall by the Houston Oilers organization and would eventually see his first game action in the later part of the 1995 season, actually starting a game in December of the following year.
As reported at NFL.com, McNair started the 1997 NFL season as the Tennessee Oilers quarterback eventually passing for over 2,000 yards and breaking even with an 8-8 record. In 1998 McNair improved his quarterback rating to 80.1 by completing 289 passes for 3,228 yards and 15 touchdowns.
In 1999, McNair helped lead the new Tennessee Titans to a 13-3 season and played in what became one of the most exciting finishes in NFL playoff history as Tennessee advanced past the Buffalo Bills in what became known as the "Music City Miracle."
Eventually getting to the Super Bowl that year, McNair led the Titans to within one yard of winning the game. He was in the running for MVP of the game and in the off season signed a $47 million contract.
After another 13-3 season, McNair was named to his first Pro Bowl and had his most productive season as a football player by passing for 3,350 yards on 264 completions and 21 touchdowns.
McNair had Trouble with Injuries
Although McNair would go on to play another six seasons with varying degrees of success, his career was eventually cut short by injuries sustained during play to his calf and ankle, his sternum, and his shoulder. Despite all of this McNair led both the Titans and the team he was traded to in 2006, the Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs and AFC championship titles and was named NFL Co-MVP in 2003.
McNair retired from football in April of 2008, after having played thirteen seasons in the NFL.
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