Titans coach Jeff Fisher said he knew Steve McNair was special the day he met him in the spring of 1995, on a scouting trip to Alcorn State University.Fifteen years later, in an emotional, eloquent press conference, Fisher honored the man.
"As I sat in my office moments ago pondering what to say, it occurred to me," Fisher said. "Say what the Steve McNair you knew would want you to say.
"The Steve that I knew, if he were here right know, would say 'Mechelle I love you. Tyler, Trent, Steve, and Junior -- I love you.' That's what he would want me to say."
"The Steve McNair that I knew would want me to say, 'Sorry, I'm not perfect. We all make decisions sometimes that are not in our best interests. Please forgive me.' The Steve McNair that I knew would want me to say, 'Celebrate my life, for what I did on the field, for what I did in the community, the kind of teammate that I was.' "
After a 48-hour news cycle that focused on the grisly details of McNair's death, Fisher put a human face on the sadness that has enveloped the Titans franchise and others around the NFL.
"My hope is that Steve will remembered. And also forgiven. But remembered for what he did and what he meant to this organization. My hope is that we can get past the circumstances . . . and we can focus on the type of player, person that he was."
Fisher's words won't stop the details of McNair's death and relationship with Sahel Kazemi from coming out. But they may help shift the tone of the conversation back to McNair's legacy and the family he left behind.
With tears in his eyes, Fisher talked about how hard the loss hit him.
"[McNair] was a great person. Along with these teammates here, he put this organization on the map here in Tennessee. Put us in our first Super Bowl. . . . I ask you to honor what he did on the field, and in the community, what he was as a tremendous teammate.
"That is his legacy. And I'm proud to have been a part of it."
Wow. That was classy. I hope people do that
Thank you Jeff. I would love to have heard you give that heartfelt speech. No one is perfect (except for Mike Florio when he's writing Brett Favre articles).
I was a big an of Air McNair, but just a bit of devil's advocate, but IF he was having an affair(that his wife was unaware of) then he has to be tarnished some. After all, many of us get through life just fine without ever cheating on our spouses with people almost young enough to be our children.
Great read. I'm really going to miss McNair as a football player.
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I'm tearing up reading that; I don't think I'll be able to handle the video.
couldn't be said more eloquently. Also, for everyone throwing stones while these two people lie dead in judgement of McNair's life, let's look into what you do. usually the ones screaming the loudest about others flaws don't have the moral authority to do so when you scratch the surface.
Coach Fisher is right. We all do things that we are not proud of but we are all human, we will make mistakes. Steve "Air" McNair was a great man and he deserves to be remembered as one. You are dearly missed number 9. RIP
Godspeed.
Maybe you'll get those two yards in heaven.
rff, here is a better way to look at it. mcnair and his vocal fans dont have the right to act like they are morally superior at all.
he wasnt a role model.
facts are facts.
Jeff Fisher is a GREAT coach and a class act!
Thanks for all the NFL memories "Air" McNair, you will be missed!
Jeff Fisher is not only the longest tenured active head coach in the NFL, he's one of the classiest and most respectable people in the league. As an Oilers/Titans fan of 13 years, I'm consistently more proud to have his name attached to our organization than that of any first-rounder, playoff berth or 13-3 record.
It's sad that this event has elicited so many comments from those who like to stir up storms. In a society so high in divorce rates and rife with infidelity, it's deplorable that a career and life dedicated to family, team and community can become so quickly questioned by the very same hypocrites who pay to watch movies filled with an identical storyline.
McNair's death was a horrible tragedy and a terrible loss to his family, friends, the Titans, the NFL, all of us as fans, and Nashville. Period.
I'll take Jeff Fisher's opinion on this one. My prayers to the McNair family. RIP Steve McNair.
Jeff Fisher has always been a class act, and clearly he has put this entire sad situation in perspective with his thoughtful and poignant comments.
Prayers to the families
We're all worried about Brett Farve's legacy because he going to play for the vikings and we have a great QB in McNair who was screwing around on his wife....
And the numerous articles....you'd thought he was a saint.
phil yer an ass.
mcnair wasnt anywhere near as dedicated to family etc as you try to make it sound.
hypocrisy, thy name is really phil.