Before she met McNair, Mechelle never thought she would get married. Tyler tells her everything, even the stuff that can get him grounded. McNair was known for his tenacity in playing through injuries and his dexterity as a scrambler or passer. Though McNair was an NFL quarterback, he never wanted to force football or sports on his children. Offensive linemen spend their careers protecting the quarterback, and Piller couldn't. I've been there.". "If you put them out thereto throw passes,they looked the same. Unfortunately, she has been very tight-lipped concerning her professional life. A handful of them delivered. The fact that he was the quarterback everyone on campus was talking about held no currency with Mechelle. Eventually, there will be more goodbyes. She received her degree in nursing years ago. Steve McNair's No.9 jersey will be retired during a halftime ceremony during Sunday's home opener against the Indianapolis Colts. But plans change. McNairs wife Michele cut his mother out of her grandchildrens life. It would not go away. Over the next five games, O'Donnell led the Titans to a 41 record. After thirteen seasons in the NFL, McNair announced his retirement from professional football in April 2008. "But Steve,his feet,he just moved. Eventually, he grew on her. McNair was selected with the third pick in the 1995 NFL draft by the Houston Oilerswho became the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The night of his death, McNair put his children to bed, then at 11:00p.m. he texted Kazemi "On my way. He pictured his dad sitting in a pew, his leg sticking out in the aisle because the seat was too small for his giant body. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. He said he had to go, and kissed the boys goodbye. He said he couldn't live without his daddy and wanted to kill himself. But McNair was persistent. Omissions? [6], McNair had two sons by Mechelle: Tyler and Trenton; and two sons Steve LaTreal McNair Jr. and Steven O'Brian McNair by two other women before they married. Eventually, there will be more goodbyes. And I don't feel like that's how God wants us to be." Everyone wanted to know what Mechelle was feeling. In 2002, Tennessee finished the regular season 115 and reached the playoffs. There he guided his team to a comeback from a 16-point deficit, and the Titans came within a yard of the tying touchdown, only to ultimately lose to the St. Louis Rams. In the process, he surpassed more than a dozen records and was named an All-American. The couple had first met at Alcorn State, a historically black university in Claiborne County, Mississippi. He wore bandages for weeks. 3 in the NFL draft. But his phone kept ringing. When he headed back east after winter break, Trent refused to go to the airport because he didn't want to cry. There were many people at McNair's funeral who vowed to be there for Tyler and Trent. "He was the first person to come," Tyler says. He was catching up with friends and hanging out at Waffle House at 2 in the morning. Lucille had to rush him to the hospital. She had plenty to cheer about by the time the franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997. Mechelle had just found out. Every season, Mechelle sends Trent's basketball schedule to Mu and to Zach Piller. In that contest, McNair returned from an injury and helped Alcorn State, trailing late in the final period, move deep into Tigers' territory. Called a Warrior on the field,McNair often played through bruises, concussionsand other fairly serious injuries. The other two are from previous relationships. "I'll be back in a little while," he said. He told Mechelle that the alarm was going off at his restaurant, but she knows now that Kazemi was probably the one who called. "I know what he's thinking. Further, he was buried at Griffith Cemetery in Prentiss, Mississippi, and over 5000 people attended his funeral. The Titans held a two-day memorial at LP Field on July 8 and 9, 2009, where fans could pay their last respects to McNair. ", McNair was known as one of the toughest players in the NFL. He cleaned the fish when they got home that night, washed his truck and began to doze off on the couch. "She just had it made, you . Those assets included the million dollar mansion he had built for his mother, Lucille, to live in during her twilight years. McNair played with the Titans franchise for 11 seasons before finishing his career with the Baltimore Ravens (200608). Mechelle had always considered herself a private person. Piller likes to mess with Trent sometimes and tells him he could probably jump higher if he'd cut his long hair. He didn't want to watch TV, didn't want to eat anything. Former Titans Chris Johnson and Vince Young took the boys to the locker room, just as their dad had done. Steve and Mechelle had happily welcomed their first child, Tyler McNair, a year after getting married, followed by Trenton roughly five years later. On the second-to-last play with the Titans facing 3rd down and 5 to go, McNair was hit by two Rams defenders, but he somehow got away and completed a 16-yard pass to Kevin Dyson to gain a 1st down at the Rams' 10-yard line. He was found dead with the body of a young woman, Sahel Kazemi, in a rented house at 105 Lea Avenue in downtown Nashville. She was so happy at the end of their talk, when he said she could attend the next employee meeting. Mechelle sits in the stands and yells at him to "keep your face straight." [20] By May of 2006, the Baltimore Sun reported that the Baltimore Ravens were interested in McNair. And now, from what we have been able to discern, he doesnt play professionally, is a father, and prefers to keep his distance from the spotlight. As a junior, McNair led the Mount Olive Pirates to the state championship. Tyler tells her everything, even the stuff that can get him grounded. She has thought about becoming a foster parent. Mechelle knows life will change again soon, when Trent gets his driver's license. She is a spiritual woman who thanks God every morning for waking up and for allowing the rest of her family to wake up, too. On the morning of July 4, 2009, Mechelle McNair woke up with a crushing headache. He kissed Mechelle and told her he loved her, too. Things around the McNair family have been tense, to say the least, since Steve passed in 2009. Corrections? "[38] There was also a conversation about financial issues where McNair transferred $2,000 to Kazemi, who claimed she was "stressed" and needed to pay her phone bill. If I'm playing football and I hear her, I kind of just ignore it. Live with Fuel; Saturday, August . Piller, a former guard for the Titans, was one of McNair's pallbearers. [6], McNair appeared in the playoffs four times with the Titans, including their run to Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, and made his final playoff appearance in 2006 with the Ravens. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department ruled it a murder-suicide, concluding that Kazemi shot McNair four times -- twice in the head -- in the early morning hours of July 4, most likely while he was sleeping on the couch of his rented condo. But I'm not going to hell blaming somebody or having the hate and animosity in my heart. Over the course of his NFL career, McNair passed for 31,304 yards, rushed for 3,590 yards, played in three Pro Bowls, and was named joint Most Valuable Player in 2003, along with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Hell graduate high school in 2022, whereas his elder brother will graduate college in 2021. So this week we sat down with Steve McNair's mother. Steve McNair was buried on a Saturday in his home state of Mississippi. In 1996, McNair remained a backup to Chris Chandler until starting a game on December 8 in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.[13]. When the police arrived, his corpse was on the couch with . Piller downplays his involvement. "When I think about it, I don't want to be old and not have anybody to spend my last days with. Then there was Mike Mu, a longtime family friend who used to run McNair's foundation. He split time between his home in Nashville and his farm in Collins, Mississippi. I don't want to be here by myself. "Mama," Mechelle asked, "do you think it's true?". That drove Mechelle nuts, the waking up in the middle of the night. The Braves fashioned a record of 74, including a last-second victory in their rematch with Grambling. McNair helped Alcorn State to another good year in 1993, as the Braves upped their record to 83 while McNair threw for more than 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. Trent will put his hands on his hips and walk to the bench, and it reminds Piller of Steve heading to the huddle. Mechelle McNair married to Steve McNair on 1997 and divorce on 2009. He ran his finger through the print and sounded out the words he knew. The couple had first met at Alcorn State, a historically black university in Claiborne County, Mississippi. [42] The bodies were discovered by McNair's friends Wayne Neely and Robert Gaddy, who called 911. I don't. She would not lose it in front of them. At the time, it was considered one of the biggest funerals in the state. "When I think about it, I don't want to be old and not have anybody to spend my last days with. McNair's 2,665 passing yards were the most for the Oilers in a season since Warren Moon in 1993, and his 13 interceptions were the fewest for a single season in franchise history. One of the popular celebrity wives, Mechelle McNair, is best-known as the wife of late Steve McNair. The team would not let him rehab in its building because it feared an injury would force the franchise to pay him $23.46 million (his contract had been restructured so often that his salary cap reached a hard-to-manage amount). 3 in the NFL draft. George Clark/Hattiesburg American POOL/Getty Images. Here was an NFL quarterback one season into retirement, a former co-MVP and a Super Bowl participant, murdered. She had hoped to go to Southern Miss. "I can deal with not having Steve here a lot more because I see him still every day in his boys." Not to mention, he has played with two of the reputed football teams, Houston Titans and Baltimore Ravens, along with Lamar Jackson. The gun was also found near her dead body at the crime scene. Yet, Steves persistence and personality won her over, so she found herself leaving the state with him after graduation to support his NFL career. She got on the elliptical machine, hoping some exercise would get rid of the headache. The investigation later revealed that they were in a romantic relationship for over six months, and the two also texted each other, saying love you and love you too before the incident happened. "I always tell these young childrenI'm not braggin on him, but you can do what Steve McNair did," said Lucille. [16] All charges related to the incident were later dropped.[6]. "I didn't know about her at all," Mechelle says. "I loved him. Mechelle grabbed him and told him to stop. Tyler came home for about a month, but he wasn't really there. Elizabeth MerrillMerrill is a senior writer for ESPN. She made faces at him to try to get him to stop. Mechelle is 45 now, and she does not look old enough to be dropping a son off at college. (McNair also has two older sons from previous relationships.) "She's very vocal," Trent says. Mu was the one who took them to father-son breakfasts and NBA games. Everyone changed. "I don't want to be alone," she says. All rights reserved. She noticed her husband wasn't home and made a number of phone calls trying to find him. McNair played in all sixteen games in 2000 but did not start the first of two annual games against the Steelers. The Steve McNair Foundation, Inc. 209 10th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37218 The Steve McNair Foundation Teams With the NFL Youth Football Fund for $100,000 in Katrina Relief. God got her through this, she says. She thinks he shows his emotions too much. At the time of their father's demise, Tyler started crying and got a kitchen knife and tried to kill himself, saying he can't live without his father. You may remember, on July 4, 2009, NFL star Steve McNair was fatally shot by his mistress, Sahel Kazemi (seen below), in a murdersuicide. "He would just come home and be, like, dead," Tyler says. "He was tough from day one.". One year after former Tennessee Titans star Steve McNair was shot and killed, details emerge about the life of Sahel Kazemi, the woman who police say pulled the trigger then turned the gun on herself. "You're going to have people who say, 'Oh, she knew.' This past summer, Mechelle and her sons visited Lucille in Mississippi. [12] McNair did not see his first action until the last two series of the fourth quarter in a November game versus the Cleveland Browns. Mechelle is 45 now, and she does not look old enough to be dropping a son off at college. I can't wallow in it. Stephen Steve LaTreal McNair fathered his namesake and Steven OBrian McNair through different relationships before he met, fell in love, and tied the knot with his only wife, Mechelle McNair, on June 21, 1997. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. In fact,he was the first to wear the #9 jersey that his younger brother would eventually make famous. In happy times, they belted out SWV songs in Mechelle's little, red, two-seater Mercedes, his tiny head bobbing to the music. Brett Favre and Ray Lewis and Jay Cutler showed up for the funeral. She wasn't into sports, and she already had a boyfriend. When he's at school, he FaceTimes with her at least once a day, so it's almost as if she sees him more when he's in New York. Trent is headstrong and stubborn and has a bit of a temper. In continuing his charity and philanthropic work, Tennessee Titans Quarterback Steve McNair was recently honored as Nashville's Philanthropist of the Year. The team officially changed its name from Oilers to Titans for the 1999 season as they debuted a new stadium, Adelphia Coliseum. Since she loves taking care of others, shes even thinking of becoming a foster parent. She never worried about that with Tyler, but for some reason, she thinks about it now that it's just her and Trent. He says that McNair would do the same thing for him, and that what he does isn't much. Aside from kid functions and dinners out, she lived the life of a homebody. "He was the first one saying how proud he was of me and how proud my dad would be. She had plans. He'd handled everything -- the bills, the taxes, the boys' baseball swings -- until it was just her. For more, watch E:60's story, "Heir McNair," on Sunday at 9 a.m. on ESPN, or stream it on WatchESPN. [35] McNair was not arrested, instead leaving in a taxi with Gordon, despite Kazemi repeatedly asking the arresting officer to tell McNair to come to the police car to talk to her. She wasn't into sports, and she already had a boyfriend. She never worried about that with Tyler, but for some reason, she thinks about it now that it's just her and Trent. Sometimes, when she's rushing to a game or going to Bible study, it hits her -- the absence of tears and drama, the return to normal. "They were slipping and playing football on the peewee team. But now one of them is leaving, and Mechelle is just trying not to lose it. Read More: How Did Mike Tysons Daughter Die? He told them to find something they loved and to do it well. But his phone kept ringing. Thank you for subscribing! It surprises her and forces her to ask the inevitable question: Who am I when my kids are grown and gone? He attended Mount Olive High School as a freshman in the fall of 1987, where he played football, baseball, and basketball in addition to running track. Elyria Parent Sprays Elementary School Principal With Mace, Faces Felony, Become and DJ for Day Plus win $500 from Z1079. Funeral services were held for McNair at the Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi on July 11; he was buried at Griffith Cemetery in Prentiss, Mississippi. I feel like I'm the weakest person sometimes. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. But if I'm playing basketball, I kind of look up there and tell her to sshhhhh.". McNair left a large estate behind that's in probate in both Tennessee and Mississippi. But if I'm playing basketball, I kind of look up there and tell her to sshhhhh." Initially, she did not believe her husband was dead. He was the starting quarterback for Alcorn State for all but one game in his four-year college football career. Tyler, who is majoring in biology at NYU while continuing to pursue his dancing dreams, forged a path so different from his father's. McNair's first season as the Oilers' starter in 1997 (the team's first year in Tennessee) resulted in an 88 record for the team, which played its home games at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. When news of his death flashed on the TV screen, Cartwright rushed through the house to Mechelle's room. Dont miss to subscribe to our new feeds, kindly fill the form below. She already had two men in her in life: Tyler, 19, and Trent, who just turned 14. In 2013, she sold their 13,000-square-foot house and moved to a smaller home. There wasn't anything those children wanted that he didn't get for them." He told Mechelle that the alarm was going off at his restaurant, but she knows now that Kazemi was probably the one who called. McNair grew up in Mississippi and chose to attend the rural Alcorn State University, a historically Black Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision [FCS]) school where he could play quarterback, rather than serve as defensive back at a major university. When McNair was alive, if one of the boys was struggling with a batting stance or a shot, he could go outside, spend 30 minutes with him and get it figured out. Freshman year, she had a human anatomy class with McNair, and he spent most of it staring at her. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. McNair set career records for the Football Championship Series with 14,496 passing yards, as well as the division record for total offensive yards with 16,823 career yards. McNair helped Baltimore to a 133 record and an AFC North Championship. Before everything changed. He was catching up with friends and hanging out at Waffle House at 2 in the morning. Mechelle told him she didn't know. He did not have a will, creating a painful mess that dragged on for years. Because I hurt like everybody else. Visit Us: MarriedCeleb To Know More About Celebrity Wife. At that point, Mechelle had a boyfriend and was only focused on pursuing a career in the medical field as a doctor. "I don't want to be alone," she says. She has thought about becoming a foster parent. Obviously this is just one side of the story, but what the HELL could this woman have done to Michelle to make her take her home away from her and prevent her from seeing her grandchildren??? The tabloids fed off the story and ran photos of McNair vacationing with the young waitress and texts they sent to each other in their final hours. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE. When his father passed away, Steve McNair Jr. was a star wide receiver at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I'm not going to do it.". She is thankful for that last day McNair had with the boys and for that night when they argued and made up. They hug, and Tyler wants to tell her something before she goes back home to Tennessee. Ex-Tennessee tight end Bo Scaife filled Tyler's closet with sneakers. Eventually, he grew on her. "He was a good dad. Sometimes on the Fourth of July, he picked up the kids and bought fireworks and did anything that took their minds off the anniversary. She would not lose it in front of them. Tyler, who is majoring in biology at NYU while continuing to pursue his dancing dreams, forged a path so different from his father's. When you walk into Lucille McNair's memory room,it's hard not be overwhelmed with the accomplishments of her sons, especially the oneknown as Steve "Air" McNair; alegacy she says beganwhen Steve was a young boy,following in the footsteps of his older brother Fred. [27], McNair's number was retired by the Titans during a halftime ceremony against the Indianapolis Colts on September 15, 2019. They carry pieces of Steve, from Tyler's mannerisms to the way Trent calls people "Buddy." He also cut his interceptions to ten, helping his quarterback rating climb to 80.1. "Isaid we struggling now,we are not always gonna be down. [8], McNair was born in a small tin-roofed house in Mount Olive, Mississippi on February 14, 1973. Keep in mind, its a $1 million dollar home that he built for his mom. But this moment in front of the school is a good one. Her children had never seen her like that. Her husband would have done things differently. God got her through this, she says. Mechelle found strength and independence she never thought she had. The vision of a 10-year-old boy holding a knife was like a cold bucket of water in the face. He attended Mount Olive High School as a freshman in the fall of 1987, where he played football, baseball, and basketball in addition to running track. 'Bud' Adams, Jr. He made at least $90 million in salary over his 13-year career with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and. He says she needs to go out more, to have fun sometimes. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens. She is thankful for that last day McNair had with the boys and for that night when they argued and made up. They hug, and Tyler wants to tell her something before she goes back home to Tennessee. The now 46-year-old widow continues to keep her partners memories alive through her work and hopes that his children do the same. Nothing's going to change how I feel about my husband. It's his way of being around his brother still. She and Steve McNair had two sons together. It had been a long time since they'd been there. Piller downplays his involvement. "They ain't got nothing,he would say. Conspiracy theorists flooded the internet and airwaves. "I can't say that I didn't have my bitter moments. "I look at Tyler," she says, "and he knows exactly what his passion is. McNair's widow, his sons and other family members and friends will return to Nissan Stadium for the special day. The full schedule includes: Advertisement. "I think it was important for [Lucille] because you see a part of your son you lost," Mechelle says. He doesn't believe anyone can play quarterback as well as his father did, so why even try? I got to dance all the time, I got to travel, and I got into the college I wanted to. Because I hurt like everybody else. Mechelle is asked whether she thinks they'd be this close had McNair lived. How do you think she was feeling? Late in the season, he also appeared briefly against the Detroit Lions and New York Jets. "And I knew then. Mechelle knows life will change again soon, when Trent gets his driver's license. In the week 14 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, McNair threw the longest regular-season touchdown pass in the Ravens' history, an 89-yard touchdown pass to Mark Clayton. She once took him on a girlfriends-only trip to the Bahamas, and if anyone took issue with it, well, tough. He tried to do both at first, but soon it was too much. Sometimes, when she's rushing to a game or going to Bible study, it hits her -- the absence of tears and drama, the return to normal. Tyler and Trent immediately flipped into kid mode, running around with their cousins, sprawling out on sleeping bags at bedtime, swearing they'd stay up all night. The closest town, if you want to call it that, is Lorman, a community with one known claim to fame, the Old Country Store, which serves fried chicken that people drive hours for. He doesn't believe anyone can play quarterback as well as his father did, so why even try? McNair was selected to the Pro Bowl four times, and was an All-Pro and Co-MVP in 2003. He was drafted third overall by the Titans (then known as the Houston Oilers) in 1995, becoming the team's regular starting quarterback in 1997, their first season in Tennessee (though he started six games over the prior two seasons in Houston), and remained the starting quarterback for the Titans through 2005.

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