RIP Air McNair

The sports world was shocked this weekend with the tragic death of former Pro Bowl QB Steve McNair. While the details are still coming out regarding McNair's personal life and the circumstances surrounding his death, he will always be remembered as a charitable man, and one of the toughest football players in history. Here are our personal reflections on the career of Steve McNair:

Mr. Yoder II - First of all, I want to take this space to remember Steve McNair the athlete. Certainly, his murder is an unjustifiable tragedy, regardless of the choices McNair might have made off the field. However, there's no doubt most sports fans will remember him as the ultimate competitor on the field.

Air McNair was one of the few players who captivated me in college, even at unknown Alcorn State. I would actually look forward to seeing his highlights on SportsCenter just to know what remarkable feat he had pulled off in his latest game. It can't be understated what an achievement it was for him to finish third in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1994 while winning the Walter Payton Award at a small, traditionally black college like Alcorn State.

When McNair then entered the NFL, it was great to see an already superb athlete like McNair grow into a complete quarterback and leader. Many present and future quarterbacks (Vince Young, Terrelle Pryor, Matthew Stafford, etc.) can take note from the way McNair developed into a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback and eventually, co-MVP in 2003. But, the word I'll always think of when I remember Steve McNair is toughness.

Rarely did an athlete inspire me the way McNair did when he would stand in the pocket on Sunday without fear, knowing he had not even been able to practice throughout the week. Some games, the pain on McNair's face was obvious, and yet, he continued to bring himself to his feet to lead his team into battle. McNair was one of the rare players who played as if he was plucked from the era of leather helmets and no facemasks. Though McNair came up one yard short in his only Super Bowl appearance, I'll always remember him as a true champion of toughness and leadership.

Mr. Yoder I - The one word that comes to mind when thinking of Steve McNair's on-field legacy is gladiator. His heroic scramble (picture above) before the famous goalline pass on the final drive of SB XXXIV will always live in my memory as the symbol of McNair's greatness and toughness. It's a shame that only in death do we remember how great a player like McNair was on the field because he wasn't flashy like Vick, or a media darling like Manning, or a prima donna like TO.

I was always a huge Steve McNair fan from the day he entered the NFL. He was a throwback player in the sense that he wasn't the most athletic, or the most accurate, but he got the job done while displaying remarkable toughness. McNair proved that a guy from a small black college could rise to a Pro Bowler and an MVP by doing it his own way. To have fans of other teams be inspired by your play, or root for your success, is one of the great tributes to a player. There are few individuals throughout sports that you are drawn to and want to root for, even if they don't play for your team because of how they play the game. For me, Steve McNair is at the top of that list.