On this day fifteen years ago, the world lost a talented and beloved NFL quarterback, Steve McNair, at the young age of 36. The official explanation was that McNair had been murdered by his 20-year-old girlfriend, Jenny Kazemi, who then committed suicide. However, suspicions remained that it was a double murder disguised as a murder-suicide.
Steve McNair was the third overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft from Alcorn State and enjoyed a successful 13-year career in the league. He played for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans for 11 seasons before finishing his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2006 and 2007. One of his career highlights was leading the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV and coming just short of forcing overtime in a thrilling game against the St. Louis Rams.
McNair shared the 2003 MVP award with Peyton Manning and amassed over 31,000 career passing yards in his 161 regular-season games, with 153 starts. He is remembered as a beloved member of the Titans organization, being inducted into their Ring of Honor and having his jersey number, 9, retired by the team.
For those interested in learning more about Steve McNair’s life and career, watching the episode of A Football Life dedicated to him is highly recommended.