The late former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair, who was discovered shot to death today in downtown Nashville, certainly didn’t shrink from pain.
Not as a child growing up on a Mississippi farm. Not as an electrifying college star at Alcorn State, who captured the imagination as the dynamic “Air McNair.” And definitely not as a clutch competitor in the NFL who endured huge shots on the field.
Often, McNair could barely get out of bed for days following a football game. And he required several offseason surgeries to repair the damage he suffered from playing the game with absolutely no fear.
That legendary toughness was recalled today by former Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel.
“Talk about toughness, McNair is at the top of the list,” Fassel told Rick Maese of the Washington Post. “He played with pain, could take a hit and never ran from a hit.
“McNair was probably one of the most easy-going guys I’ve ever been around. He was real laidback and easy to coach. You admired McNair because he always tried to do what you wanted him to do.”