Hall of Fame warrior
Steve McNair is one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history to pass for 30,000 yards and rush for 3,500. He went to three Pro Bowls, was named league co-MVP and took the Tennessee Titans to a Super Bowl. But is that resume good enough to get him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? As much as I'd like to say yes, the answer is probably no. McNair was a very good player , but not a great one. He was a terrific performer, but he didn't perform at an elite level over a long period of time.
But if toughness, competitiveness and heart were the only criteria, McNair would be a lock for Canton, Ohio. People talk about Brett Favre being a tough guy because of his durability record, but no one defined tough like McNair. He played through various injuries when most guys would take themselves out of the game. That not only showed how tough he was, it also displayed his leadership. He was revered by teammates because of his willingness to lay his body on the line for them. He wasn't the most talented quarterback, but he succeeded with will as well as skill.
I'll never forget the second half in Super Bowl XXXIV when he literally willed his team back from a 16-0 deficit. He was amazing on that final drive, making play after play. The St. Louis Rams tried everything to stop the guy and he just kept coming. Several times Rams defenders had him trapped for sacks and he kept getting away. His last completion came one yard short of a tying touchdown that would have forced overtime. The Rams held on to win, but McNair's status was elevated in defeat.
It still a shock that McNair is dead. But his passing won't diminished the legacy he left behind.
---Allen Wilson
McNair was great, but Hall of Fame great? I don't think so. He'll be pushed over the top because of his tragic end and the fact that he'll be what? The third minority quarterback in the Hall? I mean, he plays a position that has traditionally been white and I think that makes a difference to Hall voters. It won't be the worst thing in the world when he gets in either. There are far less accomplished players in the Hall than Steve McNair.
I think the flak the guy is getting in this thread is unjustified. People act like he somehow deserved his end, he brought it upon himself. I don't see it that way. It's not as if he was buying crack in the ghetto in East Nashville or was hanging with a "rough crowd." He was cheating on his wife, which is clearly not the most classy thing to be doing, but should he have foreseen this woman having a breakdown and killing him?
Regardless, it should have no bearing on his Hall of Fame credentials. If players that cheated on their wives were barred from the Hall, there would probably be about six guys in there now. If players that had run-ins with a law were barred, there might be two. These guys travel a lot, are treated like rock stars, and, at least over the last 20 years, make money hand over fist. Infidelity is a terrible thing, but it's a guarantee that it happens A LOT with NFL players. I'm not saying it's right, but I don't think it should factor heavily into how we judge them as athletes.
Posted by: Vandy Adam | July 17, 2009 at 03:54 PM
He should be in no matter what if you ask me. He was a trooper.
Posted by: My NFL Forums | July 17, 2009 at 01:25 PM
Allen, when are you going to stop being the resident apologist for these guys?
Posted by: Felser | July 15, 2009 at 02:40 PM
I'm in shock also. He was such a class act, loyal husband and model citizen.
Posted by: Mrs. McNair | July 11, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Whether his on-field accomplishments merit a Hall induction is debatable, but his off-field behavior should not affect his standing because it hasn't in the past with Hall-of-Famers like Michael Irvin, Lawrence Taylor et al.
Posted by: Justin | July 08, 2009 at 05:54 PM
If there was ever a more tired and overused cliche for an athlete, it would be the athlete as the "warrior/soldier." Does it really seem appropriate to associate the "warrior" title to someone who was shot multiple times in the head?
Posted by: Jon | July 08, 2009 at 01:53 PM
I would hate to say something about a deceased person. McNair was an excellent QB, but certainly not a hall of famer. I believe it is important for a team to practice with the QB in order to be as successful as they can be. McNair was always hurt, always sat out practice and then "miraculously" was able to play each week. The team had to suffer with that approach, week after week.
Posted by: BobJMc | July 06, 2009 at 07:26 PM
There is no doubt that his legacy is tarnished greatly. His legacy goes beyond the playing field. He was someone whom many considered to be a charitable man. He was someone who stepped forward after Hurricane Katrina to try to help those displaced after the disaster. He won the NFL Man of the Year award. He has a lot on his resume to be proud of, in addition to his playing career. But, what has surrounded his death and potentially why he died damages his legacy greatly. This is someone who was caught up with a woman who is almost half his age. This is someone who was so caught up with this young girl that he purchased a Cadillac Escalade and put it in his and her name. This is someone who took vacation time with this girl. All the while he is a father of 4 and married. His football accomplishments are untouched, but his overall legacy is damaged forever. He has no chance to rectify the damage he caused because he was killed. I feel sorry for his 4 children. You want to be proud of your parents. Everyone has their faults, but you want to see them as those whose strengths far outweigh their shortcomings. In McNair's case, his children will have to live with this forever. Not just that their father died, but what surrounded his death. If he wasn't so anxious to chase women who are not his wife, then maybe he would still be among the living and not among the deceased.
Posted by: abdul | July 06, 2009 at 03:23 PM
joe, Reread your post and then tell me who is ignorant . Looks to me like you just called yourself out.
Posted by: Mark | July 06, 2009 at 01:26 PM
Reading theses comments makes me happy that i moved from buffalo because we have so dumb uneducated people living there
Posted by: joe, nyc | July 06, 2009 at 01:16 PM
Mark, you ignorant bigot. The girl was Middle Eastern not white. And what does race have to do with it? And Ron, let's get all the facts first. We don't know if he was separated from his wife. Even if he wasn't, he isn't the first or last athlete to cheat. But it has nothing to do with what he did on the field.
Posted by: Greg | July 06, 2009 at 12:29 PM
He obviously was going to dump her, and she made sure he didn't.
The moral of this story: don't fall for 20-year-old Iranian strippers!
Posted by: Bored | July 06, 2009 at 12:24 PM
He got what he deserved taking up with a white woman. And so did she for laying with a black.
Posted by: Mark | July 06, 2009 at 11:04 AM
McNair was an overrated QB who seemed to be hurt every year with the typical injuries than a QB endures. While his tragic death is unfortunate, I am not shocked by it at all. Once again, as we've too often seen in the NFL, these players are getting themselves mixed up with the wrong crowd.
Posted by: Aaron | July 06, 2009 at 10:24 AM
It certainly doesn't make it right, but I think we need to wait and pass judgement when the final police report is issued. And Joe and Mrs. Joe Average have marital infidelity too, if not there would be a bunch of divorce attorneys looking for work.
Posted by: Mark | July 06, 2009 at 10:10 AM
The legacy he left behind? Come on Allen. The legacy he left behind is that of a philanderer living a double life with a 20-year-old woman away from his WIFE and four children. Please. Let's not forget what really happened here. He wasn't a victim of random inner-city violence so lets' not make it out to be that way.
Posted by: Ron | July 06, 2009 at 09:44 AM