Steve McNair From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is written like a personal reflection or essay and may require cleanup. Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style. (December 2008) Sections should be added to this article or its part, to conform with Wikipedia's Manual of Style. Please discuss this issue on the talk page. Steve McNair Position(s): Quarterback Jersey #(s): 9 Born: February 14, 1973 (1973-02-14) (age 35) Mount Olive, Mississippi Career information Year(s): 1995–2007 NFL Draft: 1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 College: Alcorn State Professional teams Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans (1995-2005) Baltimore Ravens (2006-2007) Career stats TD-INT 174-119 Yards 31,304 QB Rating 82.8 Stats at NFL.com Career highlights and awards 3x Pro Bowl selection (2000, 2003, 2005) All-Pro selection (2003) 2003 Co-AP NFL MVP 1994 Walter Payton Award Steve LaTreal McNair (born February 14, 1973), nicknamed Air McNair, is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Houston Oilers third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alcorn State. McNair was selected to the Pro Bowl three times and was the Co-AP NFL MVP in 2003.




Contents 1 Early life 2 College career 3 Making His Mark 3.1 Baltimore Ravens 4 Steve the Player 4.1 Career statistics 5 Personal 6 References 7 External links Early life Steve LaTreal McNair—the fourth of five sons—was born to Lucille and Selma McNair on February 14, 1973. The McNairs’ marriage ended when Steve was eight, leaving his mom to watch over five rambunctious boys by herself. Steve entered Mount Olive as a freshman in the fall of 1987. The 13-year-old quickly developed into a four-sport star (football, basketball, track and baseball) for the Pirates. The Seattle Mariners were impressed enough to offer him a contract in 1990. By this point, Steve was ranked among the nation’s top high-school signal callers. As a junior, he led Mount Olive to the state championship. In his senior season, he shattered all of Fred’s records. Steve might have been an even better free safety than a quarterback. In 1990 alone, he picked off 15 passes, raising his career total to 30, which tied the mark established by Terrell Buckley at Pascagoula High School. An All-State selection, Steve was named an All-American by Super Prep magazine. Steve was recruited heavily by schools all over the southeast, including Florida State. But every major program wanted him as a defensive back. Steve considered himself a quarterback, and refused to go to any college that didn’t share this view. That essentially narrowed his choice down to Mississippi’s Alcorn State University, where coach Cardell Jones recognized Steve for what he was: a once-in-a-lifetime prospect. Steve was familiar with Alcorn State because Fred had played there. Located in Lorman (a two-hour drive from Mount Olive), the school—with a student body of 3,300—competed in football at the Division 1-AA level. Though the Braves didn’t attract much media attention, Steve felt comfortable with his decision. Above all, he relished the opportunity to pilot Jones’s wide-open, shotgun passing attack. Steve got his shot at Alcorn State’s starting job midway through the first quarter of the team’s opener in 1991. With the offense looking sluggish against Grambling, Jones turned to the freshman, who sparkled in a 27-22 victory. Steve went on to have a marvelous year. What he couldn’t accomplish through the air he achieved on the ground, combining for 3,199 running and passing yards—good for fourth in Division 1-AA. The Braves, meanwhile, exceeded all preseason expectations with a record of 7–2–1. [edit] College career McNair is a native of Mount Olive, Mississippi and played collegiately for Alcorn State University, a historically black university which competes in the NCAA's Division I-AA Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Steve’s breakthrough campaign helped raise Alcorn State’s profile in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Though it had been eight years since the school’s last league title, the Braves were beginning to get noticed by national publications. And of course, every time Alcorn State was mentioned, Steve was the focal point of the story. He lived up to his press clippings in 1992, throwing for 3,541 yards and 29 touchdowns, and running 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, Steve returned from a severely sprained ankle to ignite a dramatic comeback. With Alcorn State trailing late in the final period, he moved the team deep into Tigers’ territory. Then, despite limping badly, 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 1-AA playoffs, where they were blitzed by powerful Northeast Louisiana, 78-27. Heading into his junior season, Steve was beginning to attract the interest of national reporters, as Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and The New York Times ran feature stories on him. NFL

scouts were intrigued by his combination of skills, too. Steve (by this time dubbed “Air McNair”) was big and strong, could run faster than most running backs and receivers, and had a cannon for an arm. Steve guided Alcorn State to another good year in 1993, as the Braves upped their record to 8-3. Despite defenses designed to stop him, he racked up more than 3,000 yards through the air and a total of 30 touchdowns. Named First-Team All-SWAC for the third year in a row, Steve propelled himself squarely into the national spotlight. The pressure on Steve in his final college campaign was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Despite playing Division 1-AA, Alcorn State was ranked in the Top 20 by some pre-season polls, and he was a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy. The first game of the year ended in a 62-56 defeat at the hands of Grambling. But as losses go, it was not a terrible one. With the Tigers rolling up the points, Steve was forced to go for broke on almost every possession. In the process, he threw for 485 yards and five touchdowns. On the game’s final play, he lofted a perfect pass to Percy Singleton, who dropped the ball for what should have been the tying score. The following week, against Tennessee-Chattanooga, Steve made headlines again. This time he amassed 647 total yards—the most ever in a Division 1-AA game—and passed for eight touchdowns. Not only did the performance raise eyebrows among Heisman voters, it also put Steve on pace to eclipse Ty Detmer’s record of 15,049 career yards. Steve continued to gobble up yards as the season progressed. Against Southern University, he surpassed his own single-game mark with 649 yards. In the playoffs against Youngstown State, he completed a record 52 passes. When it was all said and done, Steve had gained nearly 6,000 yards rushing and passing, along with an amazing 53 touchdowns. In the process, he surpassed more than a dozen records (including Detmer’s). Named an All-American, Steve won the Walter Payton Award, and finished third in the Heisman voting behind Rashaan Salaam and Ki-Jana Carter. Among those impressed were the Houston Oilers, owners of the third pick in the draft. The team had won just twice in ‘94, a woeful record that cost coach Jack Pardee his job. Jeff Fisher, a former defensive back with the Chicago Bears, was hired to replace him, and remained the head man going into 1995. At the top of his wish list was a big-time quarterback. After Carter and Tony Boselli went with the first two picks, the Oilers selected Steve, then signed him to a seven-year contract worth $28 million. Going into the ’95 season, Fisher told Steve that he would not become the starter until the team felt he was ready. Owner Bud Adams had dismantled the Oilers over the summer, and the coach saw no reason to rush along his rookie. Besides, with Chris Chandler in camp, Houston had a veteran calling the signals. Steve spent the year working with quarterback guru Jerry Rhome, whom the Oilers hired specifically to groom him. On the inactive list for half of the season, Steve didn’t see his first action until the last two series of the fourth quarter in a November game versus the Browns in Cleveland. Late in the season, he also appeared briefly against the Detroit Lions and New York Jets. The Oilers, meanwhile, surprised many onlookers by holding their own with a record of 7–9. Chandler enjoyed a fine year, finishing as the AFC’s fourth-best passer, while Fisher molded the defense—led by linebackers Al Smith and Michael Barrow and an excellent secondary featuring Blaine Bishop and Darryll Lewis—into one of the league’s most improved units. Expectations were mixed for 1996. The defense figured to be strong again with the linebacking corps and secondary remaining intact. In addition, rookie tackle Bryant Mix, a former teammate of Steve’s at Alcorn State, helped shore up the front four. The offense, by contrast, had yet to find its identity. Ohio State running back Eddie George, the Oilers’ first-round draft choice, figured to be an impact player as soon as the offensive line gelled. Until then, the team decided it would stick with the experienced Chandler, leaving Steve once again to ride the bench. This year would be different, however. Promoted to first back-up, Steve assumed more responsibility off the field, in practice and during games. Chandler could see the writing on the wall—he was just keeping a spot warm for Steve. Chandler barely spoke to the second-year QB, and complained loudly that he was being taken for granted. Houston’s coaching staff and players observed how adeptly Steve dealt with this sticky situation. Fisher began inserting him in games when his chances of success were greatest. Then, in December, Steve got the start against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Though the Oilers fell 23-17, he threw for more than 300 yards, and managed the offense with tremendous poise. The performance helped convince Fisher that Steve was ready to be his #1 quarterback. Overall, Steve got into 10 games, passing for 1,197 yards and six TDs. The Oilers ended the ’96 campaign at 8-8, including six wins on the road. The team’s problems at home stemmed from Adams’s plan to move the franchise to Tennessee. Fans in Houston reacted angrily, and the Astrodome turned into a haven for visiting squads. Fisher’s vote of confidence in Steve bolstered his spirits in the off-season. So did his June marriage to college sweetheart Mechelle Cartwright. More than 1,500 people attended the wedding, making it one of Mississippi’s biggest social events of the year. Steve’s first season as a starter in 1997 produced another .500 record. Playing their home games at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, the Oilers began the campaign slowly and finished the same way. For the first time under Fisher, the defense showed cracks, dropping to 22nd in the NFL. Though the team used its top draft choice on defensive end Kenny Holmes, it had trouble rushing the quarterback. As a result, the Oilers were victimized by opponents with good passing attacks. A murderous stretch in late November also exacted a heavy price, as the club faced three games in 11 days. A 41-14 drubbing at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals dashed any real hope of a playoff berth. For Steve, the upside was his development into one of the league’s rising stars. His 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. Steve was most dangerous when he looked to run. He led team in rushing TDs with eight and ranked second behind George with 674 yards on the ground, the third-highest total for a quarterback in NFL history. In 1998, the Oilers officially changed their name to the Tennessee Titans, and took important steps toward becoming an AFC powerhouse. Steve had an excellent year, setting career passing highs with 492 attempts, 289 completions, 3,228 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also cut his interceptions to 10, helping his quarterback rating climb to 80.1. With defenders back on their heels, Steve and George both had more room to run. The two combined for nearly 2,000 yards and nine touchdowns. [edit] Making His Mark The Titans entered the 1999 campaign feeling like the postseason was within their reach. The offense was looking good with tackles Jon Runyan and Brad Hopkins emerging as stars,

and free agent blocking back Lorenzo Neal in the lineup to boost the production of George. Speedster Yancey Thigpen, meanwhile, gave the team a solid deep threat. The most important addition to the team was Jevon Kearse, taken with the 16th pick in the draft. Along with second-round choice John Thornton, the “Freak” provided Tennessee’s defensive line with energy and athleticism. The pair of rookies instantly transformed the club’s stagnant pass rush. Steve was fantastic in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. In a 36-35 win, he completed 21 of 32 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, including a 47-yard bomb to Thigpen. Afterwards, however, the news was bad. In pain for most of the preseason, Steve was diagnosed with an inflamed disk, and needed surgery. In his place stepped Neil O’Donnell, a veteran who had guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl four years earlier. During the next five games, O’Donnell led the Titans to a 4–1 record. Steve’s first game back found the Titans playing the surprise team of the year, the St. Louis Rams. Sharp as a tack, he threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for a third score to give Tennessee a 21–0 lead. But the explosive Rams—who boasted the trio of Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce—clawed back and managed to set up the game-tying field goal. When Jeff Wilkens missed the kick, the Titans escaped with a 24-21 victory. With Steve at the helm, Tennessee stormed to wins in seven of its last nine, good for a record of 13-3 and second place in the AFC Central. Kearse was magnificent, registering 14.5 sacks, while George rebounded with more than 1,300 yards on the ground.. Tennessee opened the playoffs at home against the Buffalo Bills in a Wild Card game. The Titans appeared to take control with a safety, a short touchdown run by Steve and a field goal by Al Del Greco. But the Bills roared back to go ahead 13–12. On a crucial third down late in the fourth quarter, Steve made a super run to set up another Del Greco field goal. Buffalo’s Rob Johnson responded with a scoring drive that seemed to put the game on ice. But on the ensuing kickoff, the Titans pulled off the now-famous “Music City Miracle,” scoring on a crazy lateral play to claim the most unlikely of victories. Next up for Tennessee were the Colts in Indianapolis. Much to Fisher's delight, Steve executed the game plan perfectly. Though the Titans were down 9-6 at intermission, they were battering the Colts with their physical, ball-control offense. In the second half, George ran wild on the tired Indianapolis defense, and Tennessee held on for a 19-16 win. One step away from the Super Bowl, the Titans travelled to Jacksonville for the AFC Championship Game. Steve, who had burned the Jags with five touchdown passes earlier in the year, felt confident. Tennessee cruised 33-14, and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Seeing through a winning strategy in their rematch with St. Louis was easier said than done. The Titans needed to pressure Warner, and punish Faulk and the Ram receivers. Things didn’t go particularly well in the first half, and only got worse in the third quarter, as St. Louis scored to go up 16–0. That’s when Steve and the Titans started pecking away. George bulled in twice from in close, then Del Greco kicked a 43-yarder to knot the score. With time ticking away, the Rams prepared to mount one last drive from deep in their own territory. Warner looked for Bruce on a pass play, but rushed his throw with Kearse in his face. The agile receiver adjusted beautifully, and grabbed the pass in stride. He split the Titan defense and pulled away for an incredible 73-yard touchdown. The score came so quickly that Tennessee still had time left on the clock. Steve moved the Titans down the field with several short passes and a magnificent scramble. With time left for one play, he used the sure-handed Wycheck as a decoy and looked for receiver Kevin Dyson, who was angling toward the goal line. Steve drilled the pass to Dyson who turned to the goal line. But linebacker Mike Jones had not taken the bait, and was able to pull him down a yard short of the end zone. In a game no one deserved to lose, the Rams celebrated a 23-16 victory. Warner—who threw for 414 yards—was named MVP. Steve’s spirited effort in the Super Bowl helped earn him a new contract with the Titans, who inked him for six years at $47 million, including a two-tiered signing bonus of $16 million. The club looked like it was on its way to doing just that after posting the AFC’s best record (13–3) in 2000. George racked up the most yards of his career, while fourth-year wideout Derrick Mason developed into a threat on the outside. The speedy receiver did double duty, also making his presence felt as a kick and punt returner. The Titans, however, were given a taste of their own medicine in the playoffs, when the Baltimore Ravens manhandled them 24-10 at Adelphia Coliseum. Steve was as much to blame as anyone. The Ravens crowded the line, daring him to beat them with his arm. Though he moved the ball between the 20’s, he couldn’t finish off drives. That process had actually already begun, thanks to the teachings of offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. Formerly an assistant with the Broncos, he had joined the coaching staff after Tennessee’s Super Bowl loss. Heimerdinger worked closely with Steve, and heading into the 2001 campaign, the two were ready to overhaul the Titans’ attack. Their timetable was further pushed along because George had foot surgery in the offseason and was not completely healthy by the opener. Tennesse, in turn, had no choice but to spread the offense and throw the ball downfield. The 28-year-old put together his most productive year as a pro. With no running game to speak of, Steve registered career passing highs in yards (3,350), completions (264), touchdowns (21) and QB 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, Steve did it all with a sore right shoulder and right thumb. The second injury happened in November, and made it difficult for him to grip the ball. As usual, Steve fought through the pain and refused to come out of the lineup. After the season, he had another shoulder operation, which caused him to miss the trip to Hawaii. During 2002 season, the team appeared destined for another sub-par year. At 1-4, Tennessee was being outplayed in nearly every phase of the game. The defense was adjusting to several new faces, including rookie tackle Albert Haynesworth and free-agent safety Lance Schulters. Another change was the promotion of linebacker Keith Bulluck to the starting lineup. Frustrated by his team’s lackluster performance, Fisher called a closed-door meeting and blasted his players. Steve responded by taking matters into his own hands. After guiding Tennessee to a win over the Jaguars, he claimed honors as AFC Player of the Week with a fourth-quarter comeback in a 30-24 victory over the Bengals. The Titans won their next three to push their record to 6-4. Two weeks later, Steve authored a virtuoso performance in the swirling winds of the Meadowlands against the Giants. With Tennessee trailing in the fourth quarter, he rallied his troops to another dramatic win. On the day, he completed 30 of 43 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Riding the emotion of the victory over New York, Tennessee ran the table to go 11-5, good for the second-best mark in the AFC. To a man, the Titans credited Steve for their amazing turnaround. With the defense decimated by injuries, including large chunks of time missed by Kearse and linebacker Randall Godfrey, the team depended on its offense to carry the load. Steve thrived under the pressure. Tennessee opened the playoffs with a controversial 34–31 victory over the Steelers, as a penalty flag gave kicker Joe Nedney a second chance at a game-winning field goal. A week later they visited Oakland in the AFC Championship Game. With the high-powered Raiders lighting up the scoreboard, the onus again fell on Steve to deliver a victory. He got Tennessee to the fourth quarter down by three points, but the defense crumbled and the Titans lost 41-24. Several months later, Steve found himself in unfamiliar territory. In May of 2003, he was arrested for DUI and illegal gun possession. His blood alcohol was above 0.10, and a 9-mm handgun had been sitting in the front of the car. Heading into the ‘03 season, McNair and the Titans were one of the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The roster was virtually the same from the year before. The question was whether several key players—Steve, George and Kearse most notably—could stay healthy. With Bulluck and Rolle playing like Pro Bowlers, Tennessee’s defense was re-emerging as one of the league’s hardest-hitting and most opportunistic units. The offense, meanwhile, had the potential to be explosive. Fisher’s ability to adjust his coaching strategy to fit his talent was also a major advantage. Early in the year, Steve established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate. Tennessee won nine of its first 11, and he was the primary reason why. Steve was putting up the kind of pass-happy stats he had produced during his career at Alcorn. In a 30-13 drubbing of the Steelers, he hit on 15 of 16 attempts, three of which went for touchdowns. He torched the Texans for 421 yards and three more scores. But Steve’s all-out style of play again caught up to him. In December, a gimpy calf and ankle kept him on the sidelines for two games. Still he finished with the best numbers of his career, including 24 TD passes and a QB rating of 100.4. The Titans ended at 12-4, the same record as the Colts, but Indy took the AFC South by virtue of its two victories over Tennessee. The MVP voters were duly impressed by Steve and Peyton Manning, deciding the two should share the award. In the playoffs, the Titans first visited the Ravens in Baltimore. Steve was clearly hobbling, but the thought of not suiting up never crossed his mind. Though he threw three interceptions, his presence in the huddle was enough. Tennessee controlled the ball with a bruising running game, and held on for a 20-17 win. The team’s next foe was New England, in bitterly cold Massachusetts. The Patriots—winners of 12 straight to conclude the regular campaign—were well rested, but also well aware of Tennessee’s talent and tenacity. Down 14-7 at the half, the Titans tied it up in the third quarter on an 11-yard pass from Steve to Mason. The Patriots grabbed the lead again with four minutes to go on a field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Though Steve drove Tennessee into New England territory with time winding down, his fourth-down desperation heave to Drew Bennett fell incomplete. The receiver actually had his hands on the ball, but couldn’t haul it in. Thanks to their recent success, Steve and the Titans faced big expectations for 2004, even though they were weathering major roster changes. George left via free agency, opening the door for Chris Brown to become the team's feature back. Steve lost another weapon when receiver Justin McCareins was shipped to the Jets for a second-round draft choice. On defense, Kearse also hit the road, signing with the Eagles. Steve and the Titans opened against the Dolphins with encouraging results. Brown rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries, and though Steve completed only nine passes, one went for a TD in the 17-7 victory. After a pair of losses, Steve missed the season's fourth game with a bruised sternum, an injury suffered the previous week against Jacksonville. He returned with an excellent effort in a 48-27 blowout of the Packers, but then played terribly in a home loss to Houston. In one of his worst games in recent memory, Steve was intercepted four times and fumbled once. When the Vikings knocked him out in the first quarter of their October meeting, he reaggravated his sternum injury. Steve missed the next two games as well. He didn't suit up again until November, as the Titans visited the Jaguars. With Tennessee languishing at 3-6, this was a make-or-break contest. Steve and his teammates responded with a gutty 18-15 victory. But they followed with a flat performance in Houston. Steve enjoyed his best day of the season (25 for 42 for 277 yards and 3 TDs), with nothing to show for it. Without their leader, the Titans limped home. Billy Volek showed flashes of brilliance filling in for Steve, but Tennessee no longer scared opponents on either side of the the ball. Losers of four of their last five, they finished at 5-11. Steve's numbers—1,343 yards, nine total touchdowns and a 73.1 QB rating—were his lowest since 1996. [edit] Baltimore Ravens On Sunday, April 30, 2006, the Titans allowed McNair and his agent, Bus Cook to speak with the Baltimore Ravens to try to work out a deal. On May 1st, 2006, the Baltimore Sun stated that the Baltimore Ravens might wait for McNair to be released by the Titans during free agency. 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. It's been said that the Titans had less than $500,000 in cap room with McNair on their roster and would have been unable to sign their draft picks. That never happened. On June 7, 2006, The Titans and Ravens worked out a deal to send McNair to the Ravens for a 4th-round pick in the 2007 draft. On June 8, McNair flew to Baltimore, passed a physical, and was announced as the newest member of the Ravens. The 2006 NFL season ended with McNair starting each game, missing only portions of two games, one against the Carolina Panthers and one at home against the Cleveland Browns, respectively, leading Baltimore to a 13–3 record and an AFC North Championship. Steve McNair started at quarterback in his first playoff game as a Raven when his team played against the Indianapolis Colts on January 13, 2007. The Ravens lost 15-6 and McNair did not play particularly well, throwing two critical interceptions including one at the Colts 1-yard line. In the Ravens' 2007 season opener, an injury required team trainers to remove McNair's pants and apply tape around his waist and groin. McNair did not play in Week 2 against the New York 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 9 more games during the rest of the season, including getting pulled after taking many hits by Steelers' linebacker James Harrison in Week 9, and fumbling the ball twice. [edit] Steve the Player On April 17, 2008, McNair announced his retirement.[1] [edit] Career statistics Passing Rushing Season Team GP Comp Att Pct Yds TD INT Att Yds TD 1995 Houston Oilers 4 41 80 51.3 569 3 1 11 38 0 1996 Houston Oilers 9 88 143 61.5 1197 6 4 31 169 2 1997 Tennessee Oilers 16 216 415 52.0 3228 14 13 101 674 8 1998 Tennessee Oilers 16 289 492 58.7 3228 15 10 77 559 4 1999 Tennessee Titans 11 187 331 56.5 2179 12 8 72 337 8 2000 Tennessee Titans 16 248 396 62.6 2847 15 13 72 403 0 2001 Tennessee Titans 15 264 431 61.3 3350 21 12 75 414 5 2002 Tennessee Titans 16 301 492 61.2 3387 22 15 82 440 3 2003 Tennessee Titans 14 250 400 62.5 3215 24 7 38 138 4 2004 Tennessee Titans 8 129 215 60.0 1343 8 9 23 128 1 2005 Tennessee Titans 14 292 476 61.3 3161 16 11 32 139 1 2006 Baltimore Ravens 16 295 468 63.0 3050 16 12 45 119 1 2007 Baltimore Ravens 6 133 205 64.9 1113 2 4 10 32 0 *Totals 161 2733 4544 60.1 31304 174 119 669 3590 37 * current as of January 5, 2008 [edit] Personal This section repeats, in whole or part, the text of other article(s) or section(s). Please discuss this issue on the talk page and conform with Wikipedia's Manual of Style by replacing the section with a link and a summary of the repeated text, or by spinning off the repeated text into an article in its own right. McNair grew up with his mother and four brothers in the rural farming community of Mt. Olive, Mississippi.[2] In 1991, he was actually drafted as a baseball player by the Seattle Mariners, out of his high school in Mt. Olive. He was drafted in the 35th round as a shortstop. He married his wife Mechelle in 1997 and has four sons, and spends his time offseason in Nashville and Mt. Olive. He also grew up with his beloved cousin Andy Mcnair. [3] He was arrested in Nashville on May 22, 2003 and charged with DUI. A gun (McNair had a Tennessee handgun carry permit) was also found in the console of his SUV. The charges were dismissed a year later after a judge ruled that the officer did not have sufficient cause to pull McNair over.[4] 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, who is 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 you are a passenger in your own car and the driver is found to be under the influence. McNair owns the pick-up truck involved and was charged with DUI by consent.[5] The Charges were dropped on July 10, 2007.[6] McNair's cousin, Brandon McDonald, is a cornerback and punt returner for the Cleveland Browns. The two played against each other on a professional level for the first time in the 2007 NFL season.[7] McNair hosts an annual football camp for children at his alma mater Alcorn State and teaches kids sportsmanship, good role models, and football. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He is married to Mechelle (6/21/97), the couple splits time in the offseason between Nashville and Mount Olive , Miss. Has four sons: Junior (9/10/91), Steven (3/11/94), Tyler (8/22/98) and Trenton (1/23/04). [edit] References ^ McNair announces to teammates in meeting he's retiring ^ http://www.steveairmcnair.com/profile/profile_flsh.htm ^ Official Site of the Tennessee Titans ^ http://www.tennessean.com/sports/titans/archives/04/07/54783071.shtml ^ 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. ^ Walker, Teresa, DUI charge against McNair dropped (July 10, 2007), Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on July 10, 2007. ^ Scout.com: Browns Add Another CB [edit] External links Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Steve McNair ESPN.com: Steve McNair Pro-Football-Reference.com: Steve McNair McNair Traded to Ravens Steve McNair at NFL.com Preceded by Doug Nussmeier Walter Payton Award Winner 1994 Succeeded by Dave Dickenson Preceded by Rich Gannon NFL Most Valuable Player 2003 season (Co-MVP Peyton Manning) Succeeded by Peyton Manning Preceded by Chris Chandler Tennessee Oilers/Titans Starting Quarterbacks 1996-2005 Succeeded by Kerry Collins Preceded by Kyle Boller Baltimore Ravens Starting Quarterbacks 2006-2007 Succeeded by Kyle Boller [show]v • d • eWalter Payton Award winners 1987: K. Gamble | 1988: D. Meggett | 1989: J. Friesz | 1990: W. Dean | 1991: J. Martin | 1992: M. Payton | 1993: D. Nussmeier | 1994: S. McNair | 1995: D. Dickenson | 1996: A. Amerson | 1997: B. Finneran | 1998: J. Azumah | 1999: A. Peterson | 2000: L. Ivory | 2001: B. Westbrook | 2002: T. Romo | 2003: J. Branch | 2004: L. Campbell | 2005: E. Meyer | 2006: R. Santos | 2007: J. Foster | 2008: A. Edwards [show]v • d • e1995 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 [show]v • d • eNFL MVP Award from the Associated Press 1957: J. Brown · 1958: J. Brown · 1959: Unitas · 1960: Van Brocklin · 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 [show]v • d • eHouston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans starting quarterbacks Blanda • Lee • Trull • Beathard • Johnson • Pastorini • Dickey • Hadl • Stabler • Manning • Nielsen • Luck • Moon • Carlson • Richardson • Tolliver • Chandler • McNair • O'Donnell • Volek • Young • Collins [show]v • d • eBaltimore Ravens Starting Quarterbacks Testaverde • Zeier • Harbaugh • Mitchell • Case • Banks • Dilfer • Grbac • Cunningham • Redman • Blake • Wright • Boller • McNair • Smith • Flacco Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_McNair" Categories: Duplicate Articles | 1973 births | African American players of American football | Alcorn State Braves football players | Alcorn State University alumni | American Conference Pro Bowl players | American football quarterbacks | Baltimore Ravens players | Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks | Houston Oilers players | Living people | People from Mississippi | Tennessee Oilers players | Tennessee Titans players | Tennessee Titans quarterbacks