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. "I feel like I'm just living. Christmas break is over, and the house is quiet. "But Steve,his feet,he just moved. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. Steve McNair's Widow Kicks His Mother out Her OWN House! - Z 107.9 For more, watch E:60's story, "Heir McNair," on Sunday at 9 a.m. on ESPN, or stream it on WatchESPN. Merrill: The dilemma of how to mourn McNair. "I can't say that I didn't have my bitter moments. Steve turned down an opportunity out of high school to be drafted into baseball. She has thought about becoming a foster parent. Please read our Comment Policy before commenting. Peep the video below. I'm used to it by now. When it hit her, she fell to the floor, screaming. In the winter of 2016, Tyler was one of the best basketball players at Brentwood Academy, a Christian school with a powerhouse basketball program. McNair left a large estate behind that's in probate in both Tennessee and Mississippi. Corrections? It's the most I've felt like a regular person, like nothing has happened." She made faces at him to try to get him to stop. He asked how somebody could do this to his daddy. "I know he's in his head," Steve would tell Mechelle. His life was cut short on July 4, 2009, but his legacy lives onin family and those who knew him best. Copyright 2021, All Right Reserved MARRIEDCELEB. Times when McNair would take the boys out on his motorcycle and they didn't even need to talk. Trent will put his hands on his hips and walk to the bench, and it reminds Piller of Steve heading to the huddle. "Honestly, the most I've ever felt like a child is this year," Tyler says. Well, thats when the drama started between his wife and mom. "He was tough from day one.". He didn't just turn out all right. Tyler was her road dog. ". "That word will always get to me. Ex-linemen tell stories about how she used to sit in the stands and yell at them to protect her husband. "I didn't know about her at all," Mechelle says. So instead,he headed to Alcorn State University,following his brothers Fredand Tim. "They were wrestling all the time,tearing thebed down and fixing the bed back up. He ran his finger through the print and sounded out the words he knew. She thinks about the next chapter in her life. "I always tell these young childrenI'm not braggin on him, but you can do what Steve McNair did," said Lucille. Early in the season, McNair was diagnosed with an inflamed disk following the Titans' 3635 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and needed surgery. All rights reserved. McNair said he loved them. This time, against the St. Louis Rams in the biggest game of his life, McNair helped to turn Super Bowl XXXIV into a circus-like affair. 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. He also cut his interceptions to ten, helping his quarterback rating climb to 80.1. McNair was born in a small tin-roofed house in Mount Olive, Mississippi on February 14, 1973. The vision of a 10-year-old boy holding a knife was like a cold bucket of water in the face. She would not lose it in front of them. 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. In the days leading up to Steve McNair's death, he spent time at Nashville bars, went fishing and helped put his . She didn't usually get as much . 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. Eventually, there will be more goodbyes. Thank you for subscribing! "They ain't got nothing,he would say. On July 4, 2009, the former Titans player was found in his downtown Nashville condo with multiple gunshot wounds alongside his mistress, Sahel Jenni Kazemi. When people say that to me, I'm always like, 'Where are they getting this from?' That was meand God.". In addition, McNair won the Walter Payton Award as the top I-AA player and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Rashaan Salaam and Ki-Jana Carter. In his last days, McNair seemed overwhelmed at times, almost as if he was at a crossroads, Mechelle says. Trent shows flashes of great talent at quarterback, but he won't play the position. 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. She noticed her husband wasn't home and made a number of phone calls trying to find him. 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. "Most of the time I really don't hear it that much, but when I do, it's a little bit embarrassing. Tyler, who is majoring in biology at NYU while continuing to pursue his dancing dreams, forged a path so different from his father's. Mechelle says she could hear Steve's footsteps in the house sometimes. McNair had dreams of his restaurant becoming a chain. She stood up, the pain radiated from the right side of her skull, and she had to lie back down. On the morning of July 4, 2009, Mechelle McNair woke up with a crushing headache. Unfortunately, she has been very tight-lipped concerning her professional life. Mechelle told him she didn't know. He never forced his sons to play sports. Everyone changed. She never worried about that with Tyler, but for some reason, she thinks about it now that it's just her and Trent. 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. Piller downplays his involvement. Just 24 hours earlier, McNair had taken his sons fishing. He split his time between a farm in Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee. He pushed an air mattress beside Tyler's bed when his brother was home and slept there. Steve McNair - Wikipedia But Fred was more,Fred would pick you apart. I'm just pushing forward. VIDEO: Chelsea Handler Talks About Sex With 50 Cent & Dumping Him Because Of Ciara!!! Everyone wanted to know what Mechelle was feeling. Sahel Kazemi and Steve McNair Final Texts Show Worries of Love and The night of his death, McNair put his children to bed, then at 11:00p.m. he texted Kazemi "On my way. She always worried where he was. I got to dance all the time, I got to travel, and I got into the college I wanted to. In 1992, McNair threw 3,541 yards and 29 touchdowns, and ran in for 10 more scores. The two were living happily with each other and also parenting their two children until 2009. Here, let's have a glance over her marital life with her late husband. He made at least $90 million in salary over his 13-year career with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and. Here was an NFL quarterback one season into retirement, a former co-MVP and a Super Bowl participant, murdered. During the 2009 NFL season, every member of the Titans wore a commemorative "9" sticker placed on the back of each helmet to honor McNair. He made a mistake. McNair's death shocked the country on the Fourth of July in 2009. It had been a long time since they'd been there. She never played. McNairs wife Michele cut his mother out of her grandchildrens life. 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. "I can deal with not having Steve here a lot more because I see him still every day in his boys.". They hug, and Tyler wants to tell her something before she goes back home to Tennessee. They met at Alcorn State, a historically black college in rural Claiborne County, Mississippi. According to his wife, Michele, the will that his agent claimed was drawn up has been lost. She doesn't want to be a hindrance to him. More on Steve McNair The victory over Grambling helped the Braves qualify for the I-AA playoffs where they faced off against then-Northeast Louisiana, falling 7827 to the Indians on November 21, 1992. He cleaned the fish when they got home that night, washed his truck and began to doze off on the couch. He told Mechelle that the alarm was going off at his restaurant, but she knows now that Kazemi was probably the one who called. But if I'm playing basketball, I kind of look up there and tell her to sshhhhh.". He felt comfortable in the country, near his siblings and his mother, Lucille. Sahel Kazemi allegedly shot and killed Steve McNair, then herself. He sat behind her in class and constantly flirted. Then there was Mike Mu, a longtime family friend who used to run McNair's foundation. He took care of us. How do you think she was feeling? Everyone changed. Her husband would have done things differently. Omissions? and in junior high they started doing,and I saidsomething is not right about this. He told them to find something they loved and to do it well. At that point, Mechelle had a boyfriend and was only focused on pursuing a career in the medical field as a doctor. Former Titans Chris Johnson and Vince Young took the boys to the locker room, just as their dad had done. [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. It's the most I've felt like a regular person, like nothing has happened.". [9], The Seattle Mariners drafted him in the 35th round of the 1991 MLB amateur draft.[10]. She was slow to trust after her husband's death and never remarried. Here Are The 7 Best Date Night Restaurants in Cleveland! At the time, it was considered one of the biggest funerals in the state. [20], The 2006 season saw McNair start each game for the Ravens, missing only portions of two games. I don't want to be here by myself. 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. Mechelle had always considered herself a private person. He added, "We believe now, at this time, that McNair was seated on the sofa and likely was asleep, and we believe that . [53], Dyson was unable to break the plane of the goal line, "Titans to Retire Steve McNair's No. Although she didn't grow up playing sports, Mechelle quickly acclimated herself to the life of a football wife. He was still trying to figure out his world outside of football. Steve and Mechelle shares two children from their marital relationship. But she put off doing the paperwork, and Alcorn was the school that offered her a scholarship. He says she needs to go out more, to have fun sometimes. "He was the first one saying how proud he was of me and how proud my dad would be." He was still trying to figure out his world outside of football. Mechelle could handle algebra and first crushes, but sometimes, a boy needs a male figure in his life. "I didn't know about her at all," Mechelle says. Maybe they would have been anyway, had Steve McNair not been killed. 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 never cried, not once," Mrs. McNair. [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. 27 Jerseys at Sunday's Game", "Remembering 'Air McNair' NCAA Football", "Shooting Unveils Very Different Sides of Ex-NFL Quarterback Steve McNair", "McNair helped bring stability and success to vagabond franchise", "MVP Patrick Mahomes is now part of the legendary black quarterback fraternity", "MLB Amateur Draft Picks with the Name Matching: mcnair", "Devlin Hodges notches FCS mark with 14,584 career passing yards", "Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Oilers - December 8th, 1996 - Pro-Football-Reference.com", Notes: Favre backs McNair; Leinart hires Condon, Judge: Officer didn't have 'sufficient basis' to stop McNair for DUI, "NFL players from historically black colleges", "McNair visits Titans, doesn't have animosity over parting National Football League", McNair introduced as Ravens' new starting QB, "McNair's case to be heard today in Tenn", McNair could have playoff impact in Baltimore, "A Look Back at the Career of Steve McNair", "McNair Says Goodbye to Ravens, National Football League", "NFF Announces Storied 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class Presented by ETT", "Former Titans' QB opens Nashville restaurant", "Demario Davis Remembers His Cousin, Steve McNair", "Police: Steve McNair death is apparent murder-suicide", "Woman's gun ID'd in Steve McNair death, but questions linger", "Sahel Kazemi and Steve McNair Final Texts Show Worries of Love and Money", "Tenn. police rule ex-QB McNair's death a homicide", "Autopsy planned for slain NFL star Steve McNair", "ESPN A Football Life The tragic passing of Steve McNair", "Police Release 911 Tapes in Steve McNair Case", "Coroner: Steve McNair a Victim of Murder-Suicide", "Police: McNair mistress knew gun seller for weeks", "The 2009 Murder of Steve McNair: Jenni Kazemi had known man who sold gun to her", "Statement From Titans Owner K.S. She thinks he shows his emotions too much. 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 said, 'but they need me and I'm not going to let them down.' The old home had too many memories. She would go to her room, door closed, and sob. In the winter of 2016, Tyler was one of the best basketball players at Brentwood Academy, a Christian school with a powerhouse basketball program. But after Steve's death, the most intimate details of her life were fodder for public consumption. Her husband would have done things differently. It was a good day for two little boys who saw their dad as a superhero. We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today. Highlights from his career were played throughout each day and fans were able to sign books that were later given to the McNair family. Nearly 5,000 people mourned McNair at Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of Southern Miss. That drove Mechelle nuts, the waking up in the middle of the night. Mechelle knows life will change again soon, when Trent gets his driver's license. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Before she met McNair, Mechelle never thought she would get married. He'd say, 'I just need some rest.'". But when she saw how committed Tyler was to dance, she told him to do what makes him happy. McNair's mourners honor a hero, legend - The Denver Post Nine years later, it's still hard for him to talk about McNair. Mechelle was born in 1973 in the USA. McNair played with the Titans franchise for 11 seasons before finishing his career with the Baltimore Ravens (200608). The well-known footballer, Steve, died on 4 July 2009 at the age of 46. In continuing his charity and philanthropic work, Tennessee Titans Quarterback Steve McNair was recently honored as Nashville's Philanthropist of the Year. Piller likes to mess with Trent sometimes and tells him he could probably jump higher if he'd cut his long hair. They carry pieces of Steve, from Tyler's mannerisms to the way Trent calls people "Buddy." St. Louis scored the first 16 points as McNair struggled . Steve McNair's Widow, Children Given $500,000 Each - NewsOne In happy times, they belted out SWV songs in Mechelle's little, red, two-seater Mercedes, his tiny head bobbing to the music. [9] An All-State selection (offense), McNair was named an All-American by Super Prep magazine (defense). 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. He announced his retirement following the 2007 season. The other two are from previous relationships. "You're going to have people who say, 'Oh, she knew.' "What's my purpose? Nice Mini-Skirt: Why is Young Thug Wearing It? "I don't want him to look at me and say, 'Oh, my mom is just kind of relaxed,'" she says. The transition from football player to businessman was not smooth. She had plans. For whatever reason, Michelle believes that Lucille should have to pay ($3,000/month) to live in the home that her millionaire son built. [6][11], He was a member of the fraternity Omega Psi Phi, highlighting his allegiance by tattooing "Omega Man" on his arm. That same show aired as a rerun last week, on the night of the Super Bowl. His good friend Zach Piller, right, protected him on the field and served as one of his pallbearers. Because I hurt like everybody else. What happened to Steve McNair? Jenni Kazemi life unraveled, cop says They are best friends. The couple had first met at Alcorn State, a historically black university in Claiborne County, Mississippi. Tyler, who was 10, started crying. "I'll be back in a little while," he said. So this week we sat down with Steve McNair's mother. 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. Regarding Steve McNair", "McNair's funeral draws thousands in Mississippi", "Steve McNair and the Perils of Dying Without a Will", "Tenn. Judge Gives McNair's Widow, Children $500k each", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_McNair&oldid=1152382932, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 22:36. A post shared by Tyler McNair (@_tylahh_). She got on the elliptical machine, hoping some exercise would get rid of the headache. I still love him. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl. McNair signed a new six-year contract after the 1999 season worth US$47 million.[14]. Piller went to one of Trent's basketball games recently, and the younger McNair didn't disappoint. He'd handled everything -- the bills, the taxes, the boys' baseball swings -- until it was just her. 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. 9 and Eddie George's No. Dance was his release, a way of working through his emotions. She wanted to see him so she could help him. He leaned on his mother, Mechelle, and Tyler, at left. In 2005, he played in 14 games because of a back injury. "[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. She said she couldn't bear to lose both of them. She worked nightsand had no idea that her sons,against her wishes, were making a name for themselves on the football field. Former Titans Chris Johnson and Vince Young took the boys to the locker room, just as their dad had done. McNair was shot and killed on the Fourth of July by Sahel Kazemi, a 20-year-old girlfriend who then shot herself in the head. "When I think about it, I don't want to be old and not have anybody to spend my last days with. The enormity of his death cannot be overstated. Thus, all of Steves assets were left to her. Two Years Later And Steve McNair's Estate Drama Continues Mechelle didn't particularly want to go to such a tiny school. In the process, he surpassed more than a dozen records and was named an All-American. I do know that. He sees flashes of his friend, and it helps him stay close to him. It has been exactly ten years of Steve's demise. And that I still don't sometimes. I feel like I'm the weakest person sometimes. When a parent dies young and leaves behind children, people make promises. Time, if you handle it right, has a way of filtering out the bad memories but leaving the good. Years ago, after Cartwright lost her own husband, Steve had told her to pack her bags and come live with them. He said he couldn't live without his daddy and wanted to kill himself. Just because she doesnt know how to manage money doesnt mean she can bully her dead husbands poor old mother! He's going to kick the world's ass. "They never complained about other children having this and they couldn't have that;they never complained.". The transition from football player to businessman was not smooth. Steve McNair would have been 40 today - Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame The 2009 murder of Steve McNair: Cops say Kazemi's unraveling life led to murder-suicide. McNair said he loved them. "I think that [Trent] would be attached to his dad.". 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. Tyler was her road dog. Those assets included the million dollar mansion he had built for his mother, Lucille, to live in during her twilight years. McNair threw for 3,228 yards and 15 touchdowns in '98, and he led the Titans to the Super Bowl a year later. As they enter new stages of their lives, they wonder what their father would think. Ordered To Return Faith Evans' $164K Mercedes After Joyriding To Coachella, Michael Jackson's Mother Katherine Jackson Battles With Pop Star's Estate Over Secret Deal. There were many people at McNair's funeral who vowed to be there for Tyler and Trent. But Lucille was more concerned with themmoving in the classroom. But after Steve's death, the most intimate details of her life were fodder for public consumption. 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. "I'm finally doing something I love, and I was happy year-round. In 2002, Tennessee finished the regular season 115 and reached the playoffs. McNair was initially-offered a full scholarship to the University of Florida to play running back, but wanting to play quarterback, McNair chose Alcorn State University, a Historically Black University which competes in the NCAA's Division I-AA (now known as the Football Championship Subdivision) Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). She got on the elliptical machine, hoping some exercise would get rid of the headache. Because I hurt like everybody else. "She's very vocal," Trent says. (She was never a suspect). Her mother, Melzena Cartwright, saw the news on TV. How 'Family Matters' Made One of Its Biggest Characters Disappear She doesn't want to be a hindrance to him. Steve McNair was born on Valentine's Day, and he died on the Fourth of July. In the worst times, she kept both of her little boys beside her in bed, where she could keep them close and safe. When his father passed away, Steve McNair Jr. was a star wide receiver at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Sahel Kazemi: A study in the woman police say killed Steve McNair a 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. 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. I don't. He sat behind her in class and constantly flirted. "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." He leaned on his mother, Mechelle, and Tyler, at left. Nine years after Mechelle McNair's world caved in, her oldest son, Tyler, is going to NYU on an academic scholarship. Mechelle could handle algebra and first crushes, but sometimes, a boy needs a male figure in his life. I feel like I'm the weakest person sometimes. Lucille had to rush him to the hospital. Ex-Tennessee tight end Bo Scaife filled Tyler's closet with sneakers. But McNair was persistent. George Gojkovich/Getty Images. Then, despite a leg injury, he tucked the ball under his arm and dove into the end zone for the winning touchdown. Elyria Parent Sprays Elementary School Principal With Mace, Faces Felony, Become and DJ for Day Plus win $500 from Z1079. Mechelle is 45 now, and she does not look old enough to be dropping a son off at college. But,according to his mother,that was just a fraction of who Steve McNair was. 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. He led the Titans to the franchises first Super Bowl berth in 2000. "Mama," Mechelle asked, "do you think it's true?" It would not go away. ", McNair was known as one of the toughest players in the NFL. It wasa close knit family. In a statement to the AP, Ozzie Newsome, executive vice president and general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, stated:[39][50]. On the morning of July 4, 2009, Mechelle McNair woke up with a crushing headache. After killing Steve, Kazemi killed herself, and her body was also laying down on the floor. Nothing's going to change how I feel about my husband. Sahel Kazemi Wiki: The Mistress Who Shot Steve McNair to Death If I'm playing football and I hear her, I kind of just ignore it. "You know boys are going to be boys," she said. The driver failed a field sobriety test and was arrested for DUI; McNair was charged with DUI by consent. He says that McNair would do the same thing for him, and that what he does isn't much. McNair missed nine more games during the rest of the season, due primarily to injury, only starting in six games. 'Bud' Adams, Jr. He went on to commit to play wide receiver at Southern Miss before playing at Pearl River Community College. He probably wouldn't have spent most of the summer dreading this moment, standing in front of a college dorm, trying not to cry. There were good times, too. The funeral program included memories from McNair's mother, his wife . Tyler believes it's the same thing his dad would have said. For many, the pain still lingers and will never go away. "Nope," she says. Timeline of Steve McNair and Sahel 'Jenni' Kazemi leading up to their deaths. McNair Estate to Support Family, Not Just Wife - CBS News He probably wouldn't have spent most of the summer dreading this moment, standing in front of a college dorm, trying not to cry. I do know that. 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. In 2011, a legal spat between Mechelle and Lucille over property in Mississippi played out in the local news media. [23], On May 9, 2007, McNair was arrested in Nashville for drunk driving even though he was not driving at the time. He was the starting quarterback for Alcorn State for all but one game in his four-year college football career. Steve McNair's mom 'not mad' over son's brutal death, calls it 'devil's 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.