On a recent winter afternoon, Mechelle is sitting in the dining room of their house in the hills of Nashville, waiting to pick Trent up from school. Mechelle is asked whether she thinks they'd be this close had McNair lived. Named to the Pro Bowl for the first time, McNair sat out the game due to a shoulder injury.[15]. He didn't win the Heisman,but was taken 3rd in the NFL draft,heading to Houston to become an Oiler,and eventually,a Tennessee Titan. OLIVE, MS (Mississippi News Now) - He led the Tennessee Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV, went to three Pro Bowls, was All-Pro once, threw 174 touchdowns against 119 interceptions, had 31,304 yards passing, and had an impressive 60.1 career completion percentage. He took care of us. It's his way of being around his brother still. Yet, Steves persistence and personality won her over, so she found herself leaving the state with him after graduation to support his NFL career. In the worst times, she kept both of her little boys beside her in bed, where she could keep them close and safe. Steve McNair's wife forces his mother to pay rent then sells house - Bossip That same show aired as a rerun last week, on the night of the Super Bowl. Times when McNair would take the boys out on his motorcycle and they didn't even need to talk. Nine years after Mechelle McNair's world caved in, her oldest son, Tyler, is going to NYU on an academic scholarship. He was a tenacious defender who helped his team win two state championships. He kissed Mechelle and told her he loved her, too. McNair's widow, his sons and other family members and friends will return to Nissan Stadium for the special day. "I know what he's thinking. We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today. One of the popular celebrity wives, Mechelle McNair, is best-known as the wife of late Steve McNair. I'm just pushing forward. But now one of them is leaving, and Mechelle is just trying not to lose it. But McNair was persistent. "Don't go," Tyler and Trent told him. "[People] always say, 'Oh, I admire you so much. The enormity of his death cannot be overstated. "They ain't got nothing,he would say. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens. They carry pieces of Steve, from Tyler's mannerisms to the way Trent calls people "Buddy." He also led the team in rushing touchdowns with eight and ranked second behind running back Eddie George with 674 yards on the ground, at the time the third-highest total for a quarterback in NFL history. Mechelle appreciates the little things, such as the neighbor who used to replace the boys' basketball net whenever it looked worn, or the random texts Piller sends to the boys to ask how it's going. "Most of the time I really don't hear it that much, but when I do, it's a little bit embarrassing. I don't want to be here by myself. Christmas break is over, and the house is quiet. This past summer, Mechelle and her sons visited Lucille in Mississippi. It had been a long time since they'd been there. Sahel Kazemi was 20 years old and swept up: He gave her a Cadillac Escalade for her birthday and took her on trips to places such as Key West, Fla., and Las Vegas. "I don't want him to look at me and say, 'Oh, my mom is just kind of relaxed,'" she says. Thank you for subscribing! He cleaned the fish when they got home that night, washed his truck and began to doze off on the couch. Steve McNair - Wikipedia This is so, so sad. The game had a controversial finish when, after missing a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation time and a second failed kick in overtime was negated because of a controversial running-into-the-kicker penalty on Pittsburgh's Dewayne Washington, kicker Joe Nedney won the game from 26 yards out 2:15 into overtime. Dance was his release, a way of working through his emotions. He was also named First-Team All-SWAC for the third year in a row. According to the last reports, Mechelle never remarried but is dating, and she received a degree in nursing years ago. Did I know about some other people and some other things? He'd handled everything -- the bills, the taxes, the boys' baseball swings -- until it was just her. Hell graduate high school in 2022, whereas his elder brother will graduate college in 2021. Maybe they would have been anyway, had Steve McNair not been killed. ON PRO FOOTBALL; McNair's Take-Control Mother Is Proud of Her Take By The Associated Press PUBLISHED: July 11, 2009 at 2:24 p . "When I think about it, I don't want to be old and not have anybody to spend my last days with. "I don't think he's doing that, but I want him to see me doing something where he feels like he has a drive." The 45 acre 6 bedroom ranch in Collins, MS was built by McNair for his mother; a gift to a woman, who as a single mom raised 5 rowdy boys in poor, rural Mississippi. Everyone changed. He led the Titans to the franchises first Super Bowl berth in 2000. The full schedule includes: Advertisement. Sometimes on the Fourth of July, he picked up the kids and bought fireworks and did anything that took their minds off the anniversary. It surprises her and forces her to ask the inevitable question: Who am I when my kids are grown and gone? She never worried about that with Tyler, but for some reason, she thinks about it now that it's just her and Trent. And that I still don't sometimes. He doesn't believe anyone can play quarterback as well as his father did, so why even try? McNair returned against the St. Louis Rams, and with McNair starting, Tennessee won seven of its last nine games, good for a record of 133 and second place in the AFC Central. I got to dance all the time, I got to travel, and I got into the college I wanted to. Judy Winslow's character was just nine years old when Family Matters first started. There was one problem: His heart wasn't in it anymore, and he wanted to dance instead. They met at Alcorn State, a historically black college in rural Claiborne County, Mississippi. Keep in mind, its a $1 million dollar home that he built for his mom. Lucille had to rush him to the hospital. Mrs. McNair talked about the time Steve, not yet a teen, was raking leaves and burning them in the yard. You may remember, on July 4, 2009, NFL star Steve McNair was fatally shot by his mistress, Sahel Kazemi (seen below), in a murder-suicide. Omissions? He announced his retirement following the 2007 season. His early death became fodder for tabloids: the married McNair was found dead in a condominium alongside a woman he had been dating whom police believed killed him and then herself. [42] The bodies were discovered by McNair's friends Wayne Neely and Robert Gaddy, who called 911. And on the gridiron,he was magic. The old home had too many memories. The driver failed a field sobriety test and was arrested for DUI; McNair was charged with DUI by consent. What we admired most about Steve when we played against him was his competitive spirit, and we were lucky enough to have that with us for two years. She and her sons settled into a house surrounded by trees and the occasional deer that plops down in the middle of the yard. [35] Kazemi and McNair had been previously involved with each other romantically. Trent, who was 5, rested his head on his mother's lap during the service. When people say that to me, I'm always like, 'Where are they getting this from?' Aside from kid functions and dinners out, she lived the life of a homebody. Freshman year, she had a human anatomy class with McNair, and he spent most of it staring at her. Her children had never seen her like that. McNair had dreams of his restaurant becoming a chain. He told them to find something they loved and do it well. He was 36 years old. Everyone wanted to know what Mechelle was feeling. In 2005, he played in 14 games because of a back injury. McNair was selected to the Pro Bowl four times, and was an All-Pro and Co-MVP in 2003. In 2011, a legal spat between Mechelle and Lucille over property in Mississippi played out in the local news media. Because I hurt like everybody else. Trent, pictured right, was 5. I'm used to it by now. He ran to the kitchen and got a knife. Courtesy Mechelle McNair. All rights reserved. Before everything changed. Everyone changed. For many, the pain still lingers and will never go away. "He didn't want to do anything. "They were wrestling all the time,tearing thebed down and fixing the bed back up. Everyone wanted to know what Mechelle was feeling. Aside from kid functions and dinners out, she lived the life of a homebody. Her mother, Melzena Cartwright, saw the news on TV. And I don't feel like that's how God wants us to be." Corrections? Sahel Kazemi Wiki: The Mistress Who Shot Steve McNair to Death "He was a good dad. Nothing's going to change how I feel about my husband. Her statement read, in part, Your prayers, kind deeds, and outpouring of support throughout this difficult time have been of tremendous comfort to usYou are appreciated beyond measure. Moreover, in the months that followed, despite the fact that Steve had not left a will, her lawyers revealed that, as per instructions, she would not exclude any of his kids from his estate. She would go to her room, door closed, and sob. He was 36 when he died, and he had just opened Gridiron9, a catfish-and-burger joint in north Nashville. Mechelle didn't particularly want to go to such a tiny school. "He would just come home and be, like, dead," Tyler says. McNair finished the 2003 season as the league leader in passer rating and became the youngest player in NFL history to pass for 20,000 yards and run for 3,000 yards. "If you put them out thereto throw passes,they looked the same. He probably wouldn't have spent most of the summer dreading this moment, standing in front of a college dorm, trying not to cry. Following a 133 season in 2000 which ended in a playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, McNair put together his most productive year as a pro in 2001. When he headed back east after winter break, Trent refused to go to the airport because he didn't want to cry. A post shared by Tyler McNair (@_tylahh_). "[People] always say, 'Oh, I admire you so much. She stood up, the pain radiated from the right side of her skull, and she had to lie back down. Here was an NFL quarterback one season into retirement, a former co-MVP and a Super Bowl participant, murdered. She was so happy at the end of their talk, when he said she could attend the next employee meeting. 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. A few months after his death, the restaurant was sold. He'd say, 'I just need some rest.'". 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. God and her friends and family who cooked and took the kids swimming and handled everything. In the winter of 2016, Tyler was one of the best basketball players at Brentwood Academy, a Christian school with a powerhouse basketball program. and in junior high they started doing,and I saidsomething is not right about this. Tyler, who was 10, started crying. If I'm playing football and I hear her, I kind of just ignore it. This past summer, Mechelle and her sons visited Lucille in Mississippi. But his phone kept ringing. Before she met McNair, Mechelle never thought she would get married. Her mother, Melzena Cartwright, saw the news on TV. 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. In the divisional playoff round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, McNair threw for a career postseason high 338 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions, while rushing for 29 yards and another score on the ground. I can't wallow in it. Merrill: The dilemma of how to mourn McNair 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. She thinks he shows his emotions too much. When it hit her, she fell to the floor, screaming. After thirteen seasons in the NFL, McNair announced his retirement from professional football in April 2008. Steve McNair Jr.was still in high school when his dad died, starring on the gridiron at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg. Editor's note: Sports Illustrated is releasing a podcast examining the death of former Titans quarterback . Further, he was buried at Griffith Cemetery in Prentiss, Mississippi, and over 5000 people attended his funeral. She thinks about the next chapter in her life. He said he had to go, and kissed the boys goodbye. It's the most I've felt like a regular person, like nothing has happened." Nine years later, it's still hard for him to talk about McNair. 9 and Eddie George's No. In December of the 2003 season, an injured calf and ankle kept McNair sidelined for two games, though he still finished with the best numbers of his career, including 3,215 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes, just seven interceptions,[17] and a quarterback rating of 100.4. [47] The police later stated that after being released from jail, Kazemi purchased the gun from a convicted murderer she met while looking for a buyer for her Kia. Piller downplays his involvement. Mechelle McNair married to Steve McNair on 1997 and divorce on 2009. [28], McNair was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2012 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2020. Every season, Mechelle sends Trent's basketball schedule to Mu and to Zach Piller. He sees flashes of his friend, and it helps him stay close to him. He said he had to go, and kissed the boys goodbye. For more, watch E:60's story, "Heir McNair," on Sunday at 9 a.m. on ESPN, or stream it on WatchESPN. He'd handled everything -- the bills, the taxes, the boys' baseball swings -- until it was just her. Eventually, he grew on her. Steve McNair, in full Steve LaTreal McNair, byname Air McNair, (born February 14, 1973, Mount Olive, Mississippi, U.S.died July 4, 2009, Nashville, Tennessee), American gridiron football player who threw 174 touchdown passes during his 13 National Football League (NFL) seasons (19952008), primarily while playing for the Tennessee Titans. 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. She wanted to be a doctor and wanted one child, but she didn't think much about a partner. Piller, a former guard for the Titans, was one of McNair's pallbearers. They met at Alcorn State, a historically black college in rural Claiborne County, Mississippi. 3 in the NFL draft. Family of Steve McNair dividing up estate despite lack of signed will - al But this moment in front of the school is a good one. In happy times, they belted out SWV songs in Mechelle's little, red, two-seater Mercedes, his tiny head bobbing to the music. Trent will put his hands on his hips and walk to the bench, and it reminds Piller of Steve heading to the huddle. But did I know about her? Every season, Mechelle sends Trent's basketball schedule to Mu and to Zach Piller. The vision of a 10-year-old boy holding a knife was like a cold bucket of water in the face. 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. The fact that he was the quarterback everyone on campus was talking about held no currency with Mechelle. The two were living happily with each other and also parenting their two children until 2009. She doesn't want to go through any more pain. Then there was Mike Mu, a longtime family friend who used to run McNair's foundation. The judge agreed, and each of the four children received $500,000. She had one job: to raise their sons. Nearly 5,000 people mourned McNair at Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of Southern Miss. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He was quiet until you knew him, and he waited a while to talk to her. He didn't just turn out all right. Mechelle had always considered herself a private person. He ran his finger through the print and sounded out the words he knew. McNair was in the passenger seat and Vent Gordon, a chef at a restaurant McNair owned, was in the back seat. According to his wife, Michele, the will that his agent claimed was drawn up has been lost. His total offense averages were 571 y/g over 11 games. [34], On July 4, 2009, McNair was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds, along with the body of a 20-year-old woman named Sahel "Jenni" Kazemi, in a condominium rented by McNair in downtown Nashville. She always worried where he was. "[38] McNair, who was believed to have been asleep on the couch when the shooting occurred, was shot twice in the body and twice in the head, with only one of the shots coming from closer than three feet. Here, let's have a glance over her marital life with her late husband. 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. As they enter new stages of their lives, they wonder what their father would think. "I don't want him to look at me and say, 'Oh, my mom is just kind of relaxed,'" she says. "And I knew then. I feel like I'm the weakest person sometimes. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Mechelle didn't particularly want to go to such a tiny school. Things around the McNair family have been tense, to say the least, since Steve passed in 2009. Moreover, she belongs to the African-American ethnicity and holds an American nationality. In his stead entered Neil O'Donnell, a veteran who had guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl four years earlier. Deadly Recall: Air McNair is an episode that examines the life, slaying, and aftermath of renowned NFL quarterback Stephen McNair, who died at the age of 36 and left behind a shocked family and fanbase. At the time, it was considered one of the biggest funerals in the state. It was nearly 11 years ago when former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was found dead next to a young woman in a downtown Nashville condo. "Isaid we struggling now,we are not always gonna be down. Timeline of Steve McNair and Sahel 'Jenni' Kazemi leading up to their deaths. A post shared by Trent McNair (@trentmac9). Sahel Kazemi's nephew reveals she expected Steve McNair to divorce wife Twitter wasn't a factor yet, but there were plenty of media outlets to feed off of the stunning story of a Tennessee football hero killed by 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, a woman with whom he'd been having an affair. But this moment in front of the school is a good one. Steelers coach Bill Cowher said that he called a timeout before the winning kick took place. There were many people at McNair's funeral who vowed to be there for Tyler and Trent. The boys are constantly chasing a ghost, a man who, in death, is still the biggest sports legend in Nashville. So now that years have gone by, we cant help but wonder about the people Steve left behind. Just because she doesnt know how to manage money doesnt mean she can bully her dead husbands poor old mother! But he could be there for McNair's boys. She had plans. She didn't usually get as much . "I think it was important for [Lucille] because you see a part of your son you lost," Mechelle says. He had four brothers, Fred, Jason, Michael, and Tim. "They were slipping and playing football on the peewee team. She noticed her husband wasn't home and made a number of phone calls trying to find him. He was known as one of the toughest men in football, playing through myriad injuries. NFL home She got on the elliptical machine, hoping some exercise would get rid of the headache. McNair was born in a small tin-roofed house in Mount Olive, Mississippi on February 14, 1973. "Everyone went to college and I bought them a bible and I told them,God come first, books come second and their sports come next," said Lucille. Tyler tells her everything, even the stuff that can get him grounded. She had one job: to raise their sons. He'd say, 'I just need some rest.'" It was a good day for two little boys who saw their dad as a superhero. He didn't just turn out all right. It was just like 2009. "Most of the time I really don't hear it that much, but when I do, it's a little bit embarrassing. 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. She is thankful for that last day McNair had with the boys and for that night when they argued and made up. E:60's John Minton III and Ryan Smith contributed to this report. "I mean, I'm here by myself. Conspiracy theorists flooded the internet and airwaves. [20] By May of 2006, the Baltimore Sun reported that the Baltimore Ravens were interested in McNair. He leaned on his mother, Mechelle, and Tyler, at left. George Clark/Hattiesburg American POOL/Getty Images. It would not go away. Where Are Steve McNair's Wife and Kids Now? - The Cinemaholic McNair was known as one of the toughest players in the NFL. [44] Kazemi had a worsening financial situation and also suspected that McNair was in another extramarital relationship. For whatever reason, Michelle believes that Lucille should have to pay ($3,000/month) to live in the home that her millionaire son built. Widow of Titans QB Steve McNair Anticipating Another - Tennessee Titans In 2007, McNair did not play in Week 2 against the Jets in which the Ravens won 2013. In 1998, McNair set career passing highs with 492 attempts, 289 completions, 3,228 yards, and 15 touchdowns for the Oilers, now competing in Nashville. A "True Crimes with Aphrodite Jones" episode filmed in 2013 even pointed suspicion at her. Steve McNair's Death Left Behind a Family Who Now Makes Him Proud But when she saw how committed Tyler was to dance, she told him to do what makes him happy. When the police arrived, his corpse was on the couch with multiple wounds of the gunshot, including one to the head. She wasn't into sports, and she already had a boyfriend. But plans change. Mu was the one who took them to father-son breakfasts and NBA games. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The pressure to be Steve McNair's son weighs heavily. He loved us. Lucille saidpeople will never know how kind and gentle her son was,but she says hislegacy lives on through his four boys and his family. I've gotta keep going.". 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. "I know he's in his head," Steve would tell Mechelle. And them. That drove Mechelle nuts, the waking up in the middle of the night. Offensive linemen spend their careers protecting the quarterback, and Piller couldn't. She was slow to trust after her husband's death and never remarried. According to Piller, Trent hit five 3-pointers. [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. He was 36 when he died, and he had just opened Gridiron9, a catfish-and-burger joint in north Nashville. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. "He said, 'but they need me and I'm not going to let them down.' What's my passion?" Her husband would have done things differently. "He said momma,we need the moneyand I said look,your education is more important," said Lucille. 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. Read More: How Did Mike Tysons Daughter Die? Former Titans Chris Johnson and Vince Young took the boys to the locker room, just as their dad had done. VIDEO: Chelsea Handler Talks About Sex With 50 Cent & Dumping Him Because Of Ciara!!! Not to mention, he has played with two of the reputed football teams, Houston Titans and Baltimore Ravens, along with Lamar Jackson. Mechelle says she could hear Steve's footsteps in the house sometimes. But plans change. McNair Estate to Support Family, Not Just Wife - CBS News She was so happy at the end of their talk, when he said she could attend the next employee meeting. Before she met McNair, Mechelle never thought she would get married. Brett Favre and Ray Lewis and Jay Cutler showed up for the funeral. She has thought about becoming a foster parent. I've been there.". McNair's death shocked the country on the Fourth of July in 2009. He was still trying to figure out his world outside of football. When news of his death flashed on the TV screen, Cartwright rushed through the house to Mechelle's room. His good friend Zach Piller, right, protected him on the field and served as one of his pallbearers. 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. McNair missed the 2004 season's fourth game with a bruised sternum, an injury suffered the previous week against Jacksonville,[18] and played in only five more games that season. It had been a long time since they'd been there. McNair helped Baltimore to a 133 record and an AFC North Championship. He leaned on his mother, Mechelle, and Tyler, at left. After his death, Mechelle went to the court and claimed $500,000 each for their children's care and expenses from her husband's assets. The gun was also found near her dead body at the crime scene. Her husband would have done things differently. Steve McNair's Widow Kicks His Mother out Her OWN House! - Z 107.9 The man who had taken epidurals and basically crawled around in pain six days a week but somehow played football on Sundays couldn't be gone. They hug, and Tyler wants to tell her something before she goes back home to Tennessee. Although she didn't grow up playing sports, Mechelle quickly acclimated herself to the life of a football wife. She doesn't want to be a hindrance to him. When news of his death flashed on the TV screen, Cartwright rushed through the house to Mechelle's room. He made at least $90 million in salary over his 13-year career with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and. Mechelle found strength and independence she never thought she had. Ten years later: a conversation with the family of Steve McNair - WJTV Though McNair was an NFL quarterback, he never wanted to force football or sports on his children.
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