RIP Steve McNair- Gritty QB’s Death Rocks Blogosphere

I flipped the channel to ESPN a little while ago only to be informed that one of my favorite NFL players athletes of all time had been murdered today. It’s not clear who shot Steve McNair and why (although there are a lot of rumors and theories), but regardless its a very sad day for NFL fans who watched his tremendous career unfold.

 

 

In 1999 as the 49ers were descending from powerhouse to organization in chaos, I decided to adopt a second team for the year along with my best friend (Cowboys fan also disappointed in paradise lost status). That night the Titans unveiled their new uniforms and both of us decided to keep interest in NFL football we would preemptively adopt the Titans before the season ended. We went far enough to buy jerseys. He took Eddy George, which I was initially jealous of, and I took McNair. In the weeks to come as the Titans started winning others in our group of friends started buying Titans jerseys (you must realize the niners went 4-12 that year). There was a Kevin Dyson jersey, Jevon Kearse, and even a Frank Wychek jersey that filled out our lame entourage.This all pre dates digital camera usage which is disappointing. The team we randomly picked was amazing to watch and seemed to have a close game every week. The playoffs brought on some of the most amazing football I have ever watched, with McNair willing the Titans to the Super Bowl where they found themselves losing 16-0. McNair rallied them all the way back to 16-16 and when they went down again by a TD, McNair drove them on the final drive all the way to 1 yard line when time ran out.

It was an incredible year, and the first of many for McNair who year in and year out left it all out in the field. The stakes were always with McNair, the surrounding talent modest at best, and the games were almost always close. His career was a decade full of epic games, gritty performances, and memorable finishes. He hung up the cleats in 2007 and today he passed way. Rather then go on about how much I loved watching him play, I’ll sign off with some screenshots across the blogosphere of what others are saying about one of the game’s truest warriors.