Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve “Air” McNair

Tennessee’s National Football League franchise, the Titans, came into existence in 1997 after the Houston Oilers moved to the state and changed their name. Since the team’s arrival in Tennessee, a quarterback led them for most of their time as the Titans. Steve McNair, who earned the nickname “Air” because he was a running quarterback who could also throw, was a favorite among Titans fans throughout his career with the team. His tenure marked one of the most brilliant periods in team history, as he led the Titans to four postseason runs and a Super Bowl while setting nearly all Titans records at the position.

college prodigy

One of the most highly recruited players out of high school, McNair might have chosen the University of Florida as his football home had he been offered a shot at the quarterback position. His idea, however, was for him to reconfigure himself as a defensive player, so he chose Alcorn State, a non-Division I school, in his place. As it turned out, being at Alcorn State showcased his skills to such an extent that the NFL would eventually call his name during the Draft. During college, he broke the passing benchmarks for his division, with over fourteen thousand yards passing, and another fifteen hundred quarterback rushing yards. McNair rushed and threw for nearly six thousand total yards during his senior season alone, also scoring over fifty passing and rushing touchdowns.

Like greaser and titan

Drafted by the Oilers in 1995, McNair would see limited action during his first two seasons due to the presence of older quarterback Chris Chandler. When he became a starter in 1997, he led the team to a record eight-eight. Although the team’s results were even, his personal totals were more impressive. With more than 2,500 passing yards and just thirteen passes that resulted in interceptions, Air McNair made a strong statement to the league that he was as good as advertised. By the time the 1999 season began, McNair had developed into a competent leader for his team, along with being a flashy quarterback who posed threats both through the air and on the ground. Although he was injured for five games into the season, McNair recovered enough to lead his team to a thirteen-and-three season and a playoff berth.

“The Boarding”

However, that season’s postseason came during the opening stages of the “Greatest Show on Turf” run by Kurt Warner of the Saint Louis Rams. Still, the Titans performed well and could have finished with a Titans win if McNair’s completion to Kevin Dyson had ended with the receiver crossing the goal line instead of being tackled as the game clock expired. “The Tackle,” as he’s known, cost McNair what would end up being his only shot at a Super Bowl ring.

The rest of McNair’s career would only provide brief glimpses of the potential for greatness he had once displayed. In truth, he was never the same quarterback after that heartbreaking loss. Then, in the summer of 2009, his life was cut short when his lover shot and then killed herself.