It's still difficult for Tank Williams to believe Steve McNair is dead, and it's even more difficult for him to utter the words. The Patriots safety was at a former college teammate's wedding in California on the Fourth of July when he heard McNair had been shot and killed.
As Williams, who played with McNair for four seasons in Tennessee, recounted how he learned about the 2003 NFL co-MVP's death, he hesitated when he got to the part where he learned ``Steve was . . . '' - Williams paused - ``dead.''
The news hit Williams hard because he was close with McNair, who played 13 seasons, 11 for the Titans/Oilers franchise and two for the Ravens.
The two shared a home state (Mississippi) and an enjoyment of fishing. Williams had cousins that attended Alcorn State and as a fan watched ``Air McNair'' rewrite the record books at Alcorn. That's why Williams was thrilled when he was drafted by Tennessee in 2002. Williams went from fan to friend.
``That's why I'm emotional about him,'' said Williams, who planned to attend McNair's funeral yesterday at the University of Southern Mississippi, located about 35 miles from Mount Olive, where McNair grew up. ``I mean, I spent a lot of time with Steve - whether it was the back of the bus or whatever - because we're both fellow Mississippians. I actually fished in his fishing tournament probably about a year ago. I spent a lot of time around Steve and really got to know what kind of guy he was, and he was one of the greatest human beings you could be around.''
Williams didn't want to talk about the sordid circumstances surrounding McNair's death. The married McNair, 36, was shot four times in his sleep by his girlfriend, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, in his Nashville condominium. Kazemi then turned the gun on herself, committing suicide. Williams wants people to remember McNair not for his faults, but for his feats, on and off the field - like the aid McNair organized for Hurricane Katrina victims in his home state.
``Food, water, medicine, everything we could send down to the victims in Mississippi. Those are just the type of things that Steve would do just from his heart,'' said Williams, who is from Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Williams described McNair as the ``face of the team'' in Nashville. McNair put the Titans on the map after they moved from Houston following the 1996 season, leading them to the Super Bowl in just their third season in town.
McNair put himself on the NFL map with his toughness. In 2002, there was a five-game stretch during which he was unable to practice because of injury, but still managed to lead the Titans to the AFC title game.
During his co-MVP season - he shared the award with Peyton Manning - McNair was bothered by a right calf injury and a bone spur in his left ankle, but missed just two games while leading the NFL in passer rating (100.4) and throwing a career-high 24 touchdown passes. That season ended when the Patriots beat McNair and the Titans in the AFC Divisional round at a frigid Gillette Stadium.
``He was very tough and he didn't have to say he was because you knew he was from the things he played through,'' wrote Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas, who was McNair's teammate with the Ravens in 2006, in an e-mail.
McNair, who threw for 31,304 yards and 174 touchdowns (against 119 interceptions) while completing 60.1 percent of his passes, and rushed for 3,590 yards and 37 TDs, got recognition for being a gutsy quarterback but not enough for being a very good one.
``I believe he got some recognition, but I believe he was a far better quarterback than most people know,'' said Williams.
McNair, who was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, never won a Super Bowl or was first-team All-Pro. He likely faces an uphill fight for the Hall of the Fame.
``Honestly, I don't know. I don't know if he is a Hall of Famer or not,'' said Williams. ``I really don't know all the criteria that they go by, but I do know that the years that I played with him he was definitely one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
``If anything, his name will at least come up. I don't really think Steve would even be worried about if he's a Hall of Famer or not though, as long as people recognized the effort that he showed each and every Sunday and the passion that he played with and just recognize everything that he did for people outside of Football.''
