One year after the Houston Oilers traded Warren Moon to the Minnesota Vikings, the Oilers franchise selected their next star quarterback, Steve McNair, with the third pick in the 1995 draft. McNair would sit behind Chris Chandler for two years in Houston before the team moved to Tennessee and Chandler to Atlanta. After one season in Memphis and then another in Nashville, the nomad-like Tennessee Oilers officially became the Tennessee Titans in 1999 with new uniforms and a new logo. They also went to Super Bowl XXXIV and fell a yard short.
McNair was their quarterback from Day One in the state of Tennessee. To say he handled change as a young quarterback during the first four seasons of his career would be an understatement. Getting them to the Super Bowl in his fifth season – third as a full-time starter – would forever link McNair with Head Coach Jeff Fisher. McNair was Fisher’s first draft choice as head coach.
He never had an elite receiving corp but he did have a solid offensive line and a workhorse in Eddie George. He evolved from a running quarterback into a reliable passer with his best statistical stretch coming from 2001-03 where he threw for 9,952 yard and 67 touchdowns to just 34 interceptions. That 2003 season was capped off with co-MVP honors shared with Peyton Manning.
I’ll remember the battles he lead the Titans into against those killer Baltimore defenses. I’ll remember when he would later lead the Ravens into slugfests with Pittsburgh’s defense. I’ll remember the thick, padded flak jacket he wore to protect his ribs. I’ll especially remember his “Air” McNair highlights while with Alcorn State that looked as if SportsCenter played them from someone’s home video.
Usually it’s the offensive linemen that have double-digit surgeries over a 13 year career. McNair had ten. It’s that telling number that might be most impressive and indicative of his toughness and the kind of player he was. If Brett Favre is tough, Steve McNair is just a hair tougher.
