Steve McNair worked hard during the off-season and arrived at minicamp ready to assume his role as the starting quarterback. His body had other plans. Ending a 13-year career, McNair announced his retirement Thursday. Some of his highlights include being selected co-MVP in 2003, leading the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl and orchestrating the most successful regular season in Baltimore Ravens history. He received a standing ovation from his teammates after revealing his decision, then contained his emotions during a hastily arranged news conference. "In your mind, you feel like you can play, that you can still compete”, he said. “But when your mind and your body are not in accord, it’s not going to work in the National Football League.” The 35-year-old McNair guided the Ravens to a franchise-best 13-3 record in 2006, his first season in Baltimore. But he injured his groin during the season opener, developed back and shoulder injuries and played in only six games last season and never regained the form that enabled him to earn a berth in four Pro Bowls. He threw only two touchdown passes, was intercepted four times and lost seven fumbles before being placed on injured reserve in December, ending his most frustrating season in the NFL.
Steve McNair began his career in 1995 with the Houston Oilers, who eventually became the Tennessee Titans. He led the team to four playoff appearances, including the Super Bowl after the 1999 season. He was chosen co-MVP of the league in 2003, sharing the award with Peyton Manning, after throwing for 3,215 yards and 24 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. The highlight of his career might be a five-game stretch at the end of the 2002 season in which the quarterback was banged up so much he could not practice. Yet, he started all five games and led the Titans to wins to finish 11-5 and reach the AFC championship game for the second time in four seasons.
He underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in December and spent much of the past three months getting ready for his 14th NFL season. But McNair had an inkling that all the running and weightlifting might be for naught. "My mind was telling me, ’Yes,’ and my body was like, ’No, what are you doing?’ I came up with (the idea of retiring) two or three days ago, but it’s been lingering ever since December."
Eddie George, who played running back behind McNair in Houston and Tennessee, said, "You name the injury and Steve had it and he still showed up. Not only did he show up, but he showed up and played extremely well. In his MVP year he played most of the year hurt. It is a testament to his willingness to win and how he sacrificed his body for the team." Tennessee’s Jeff Fisher, his coach for most of his career, echoed George’s comments, noting that McNair never wanted anyone to know how badly he was hurt. Baltimore Linebacker Ray Lewis, who had many memorable duels with McNair before the two became teammates, said, "There is no greater warrior or player with a bigger heart than Steve McNair. "He came into this game and gave it everything he had. He now can walk away with his head held high."
Steve McNair retires as one of the most versatile quarterbacks in NFL history. He's just one of three quarterbacks to amass over 30,000 yards passing and more than 3,000 yards rushing. The other two were Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young.
Nick named Air McNair, he was originally drafted by the Houston Oilers third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alcorn State University a historically Black university which competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), arguably the toughest Black conference in the U. S. which includes nationally known schools such as Grambling State, Jackson State, and Southern Universities. Many major colleges recruited McNair to play defensive back, but Alcorn was one of the few institutions that recruited him to play quarterback. In his senior season (1994), he amassed incredible statistics - throwing for 4,863 yards with 44 touchdowns (thus the nick name Air McNair) and rushing for 936 yards. His 2,387 rushing yards from 1997-2001 made him one of three quarterbacks in NFL history to rush for more than 2,350 yards in a five-season span. Mike Vick had 3,570 from 2002-2006; Randall Cunningham had 3,232 from 1986-1990.
Steve McNair grew up with his mother and four brothers in the rural farming community of Mt. Olive, Mississippi. He married his wife Mechelle in 1997 and has four sons. His cousin, Brandon McDonald, is a cornerback and punt returner for the Cleveland Browns. McNair hosts an annual football camp for children at his alma mater Alcorn State and teaches kids sportsmanship, good role models, and football.
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