Latest news with #SteveMcNair
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Revisiting the most notorious Nashville stories of the past 25 years
We remember the dirt, the tea, the stunning details of stories that became permanently fixed in time. In our current century, Nashville has been shaped by huge stories that got under our skin, went viral, blew up. Are there water coolers anymore? We used to gather around them in the office (are there offices?) and share the sometimes-salacious details. We remember when Taylor Swift took on Scooter Braun, when Megan Barry endured public shame, when Steve McNair was murdered. It is not a stretch to say people will be talking about the time Morgan Wallen threw a chair off a building for years to come. If you've been paying attention at all in Tennessee, you may easily recognize the stories: There was a wayward judge, a plane crash, some drunken exploits and a sex scandal or two. These weren't necessarily the most important stories of the year, but they were captivating. They made you ask questions. Wait, what happened? How on earth? Did you see the latest? We couldn't look away from the unforgettable. We had to know the deets. No Nashvillian will forget the Christmas Day bombing, the Tennessee Waltz (which wasn't a song) or the Tennessee Three (not Johnny Cash's band). These sordid stories are as good as old calendars. We remember what we were doing when they happened. There were missing persons, environmental disasters and a band got canceled before "canceled" became the word we would use to describe what happened to them. The staff at The Tennessean went into the archives to pull out the biggest headlines from the past 25 years, and the most Notorious Nashville stories from each year will be unveiled this summer one at a time. The memories of these stories may stir embarrassment, anger, tears or gasps. They will always make for interesting dinner-party conversation. 2000: Janet March ruled dead, focus turns to husband 2001: Fatal Greyhound bus crash near Manchester led to national shutdown 2002: Peyton Manning defamation lawsuit challenged former Vol's image 2003: Country music cancels The Chicks, still 'Not Ready to Make Nice' 2004: Fallon Tallent trial for 2 officer deaths shook Wilson County 2005: Major political scandal led to ethics reform in Tennessee 2006: Killing by preacher's wife pushes small town into national spotlight 2007: The murder case that shocked Knoxville, incited white supremacists 2008: Toxic sludge swallowed a TN town. Years of illness, lawsuits followed 2009: Why ex-Titans QB Steve McNair's death was so shocking 2010: Why Lane Kiffin's Tennessee departure rocked Knoxville 2011: Why Holly Bobo's case changed a TN county forever 2012: Scott DesJarlais: Scandal couldn't sink notoriously troubled candidate 2013: How the 2013 Vanderbilt rape case stunned the city This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Revisit Nashville's most notorious stories of the past 25 years
USA Today
06-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is the Titans' Mount Rushmore since 2000?
The NFL has a storied history filled with memorable games, outstanding plays, and players whose exploits stand the test of time. Every franchise has a history that has set the standard for today's players. The Tennessee Titans have a complex history, with their roots deeply entrenched in NFL lore. From their early days as the 'Luv Ya Blue' Houston Oilers and then their transition to Tennessee, many stars roamed their sidelines and left their imprint on the franchise. From Earl Campbell to Warren Moon, and from Steve McNair to Derrick Henry, these all-time greats paved the way for young players to look up to. It is truly a fantastic collection of talent. But if you, the reader, were to populate the Titans' Mount Rushmore of historic players, who would you choose? Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report took on that challenge and came up with the Titans' Mount Rushmore since 2000. Tennessee Titans DL Jurrell Casey RB Derrick Henry RB Chris Johnson QB Steve McNair Two selections for the Tennessee Titans were relatively easy. Derrick Henry is one of the most unique running backs in NFL history, while the late, great Steve McNair helped usher Tennessee into the current century. McNair's career began in 1995, when the franchise was still the Houston Oilers. He also led the Titans to the Super Bowl in 1999, the season before our cutoff. However, he had six terrific seasons in Tennessee after 2000 that included three Pro Bowls and one league MVP (which he split with Peyton Manning). Henry, who joined the Ravens in 2024, still possesses the scariest combination of size and breakaway speed we've seen in a modern running back. In eight years with the Titans, he racked up 10,960 yards from scrimmage, 93 total touchdowns, four Pro Bowls and one Offensive Player of the Year award. Filling out the rest of the foursome was a bit trickier since the post-2000 Titans have had some standouts but few truly great players. Linebacker Keith Bulluck and tackle Michael Roos earned consideration, but we settled on Jurrell Casey and Chris Johnson. Casey was a star defensive tackle for nine seasons in Tennessee and racked up five consecutive Pro Bowls between 2015 and 2019. Johnson only spent six seasons with the Titans, but he was a 1,000-yard rusher in all six campaigns and earned three Pro Bowl nods. He also earned the nickname CJ2k in 2009, when he rushed for a league-high 2,006 yards, logged 503 receiving yards and was named Offensive Player of the Year. The Titans have a long history of outstanding running backs and both Henry and Johnson were feared during their time in Nashville and both had record-setting seasons that created an air of excitement around the team. It is unfortunate that Henry moved onto to the Baltimore Ravens, but no matter what, he will be remembered for his dominate production for the Titans. McNair was also a no-brainer, his combination of leadership and talent may never be duplicated in Nashville. In many ways, the Titans have never truly replaced McNair and have been searching for their franchise leader since his departure. They drafted Cam Ward, who has drawn comparisons to McNair throughout the offseason, and the team has high hopes that he can be the answer they have been searching for. Casey was an interesting selection, and it is hard to argue with the logic. In his prime, he was the anchor for the Titans defense and a stalwart in the community. Not only did he make it to five Pro Bowls, but he was a six-time team captain and two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. More importantly, he bled Titan Blue, and will forever be remembered that way. Who would you select for the Titans' Mount Rushmore if you had the chance to do it? Let us here at Titans Wire know your choices.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
July 4th Holds A Different Meaning For Titans' Fans
July 4th Holds A Different Meaning For Titans' Fans originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Shock and sadness. These were the feelings on July 4, 2009, when the news started to spread of the death of former Titans quarterback Steve "Air" McNair. The face of the Titans died from multiple gunshot wounds. While many still have questions about his passing and the surrounding circumstances to this day, one thing is certain: July 4th holds a slightly different meaning for Titans fans. Advertisement Each July 4th, you see Titans fans remembering the player that Steve McNair was. He was the unquestioned leader of the Tennessee Titans. Additionally, he possessed specific attributes that teammates, such as wide receiver Chris Sanders, admired. "He is one of the toughest football players I have ever met," Sanders told Athlon Sports when he was asked about McNair. Former Tennessee Titans QB Steve Walker IV / The Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC And there was no doubt he was very tough. Back in the 1999 season, the year the Titans went to the Super Bowl, McNair underwent surgery for a ruptured disk in his back. In contact sports, such injuries typically keep players out for four to six months. For McNair, he made it back in five weeks and was there to lead Tennessee to an improbable Super Bowl run. This is just one example of the toughness he displayed on the field, as he battled through more than this injury to be there for his team. Advertisement Along with his toughness, there was also his development over his career. At the beginning of his career, there were people who questioned whether he would ever be able to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. He not only showed that he could be, but he even had a season where he shared the Associated Press MVP Award with NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Throughout his entire tenure as a member of the Titans, he consistently demonstrated toughness, grit, and a desire to lead his team to victory, cementing himself as one of the greatest Tennessee Titans of all time. And for that, McNair will always be remembered. So while his death was painful for the city of Nashville and Titans fans alike, the memories he created will never go away. Related: The Key Ingredient To The Titans' Offense This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steve McNair was murdered 16 years ago today
Sixteen years ago today, a quiet Fourth of July afternoon was interrupted with the stunning news that former NFL quarterback Steve McNair had been shot and killed. McNair was only 36 at the time. The official explanation never made complete sense. Quickly solved as a murder-suicide, with McNair shot by his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, who then supposedly shot herself. Advertisement The rush to close the case seemed odd. Police concluded that Kazemi shot McNair execution style, twice in the chest and twice in the head. A subsequent effort to re-open the case ultimately failed. The issue was pressed by Vincent Hill, a former Nashville police officer who aggressively pursued the theory that it was not a murder-suicide. In 2018, took a closer look at the unanswered questions in Fall of a Titan, a podcast series. "I could make a case that things don't add up," former Titans coach Jeff Fisher said in a 2024 Netflix documentary on the McNair murder. "I don't want to speculate. Just let it go." Advertisement Even now, it's hard to let it go. It's hard not to wonder whether someone got away with double murder. And while that won't change the fact that McNair was killed on this day in 2009, there's a nagging sense that justice may not have been done. McNair was the NFL's co-MVP in 2003, and he led the team to the Super Bowl in 1999. The third overall pick in 1995 out of Alcorn State, McNair spent 13 seasons in the NFL — 11 with the Oilers/Titans and two with the Ravens. The Titans retired his number (9) in 2019.
NBC Sports
04-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Steve McNair was murdered 16 years ago today
Sixteen years ago today, a quiet Fourth of July afternoon was interrupted with the stunning news that former NFL quarterback Steve McNair had been shot and killed. McNair was only 36 at the time. The official explanation never made complete sense. Quickly solved as a murder-suicide, with McNair shot by his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, who then supposedly shot herself. The rush to close the case seemed odd. Police concluded that Kazemi shot McNair execution style, twice in the chest and twice in the head. A subsequent effort to re-open the case ultimately failed. The issue was pressed by Vincent Hill, a former Nashville police officer who aggressively pursued the theory that it was not a murder-suicide. In 2018, took a closer look at the unanswered questions in Fall of a Titan, a podcast series. 'I could make a case that things don't add up,' former Titans coach Jeff Fisher said in a 2024 Netflix documentary on the McNair murder. 'I don't want to speculate. Just let it go.' Even now, it's hard to let it go. It's hard not to wonder whether someone got away with double murder. And while that won't change the fact that McNair was killed on this day in 2009, there's a nagging sense that justice may not have been done. McNair was the NFL's co-MVP in 2003, and he led the team to the Super Bowl in 1999. The third overall pick in 1995 out of Alcorn State, McNair spent 13 seasons in the NFL — 11 with the Oilers/Titans and two with the Ravens. The Titans retired his number (9) in 2019.
