McNair was the Oilers first draft pick of the 1996 draft, and he was the third player chosen overall.
He spent his first two seasons primarily sitting and leaning the game. He did start in six of the 13 games he played in over that time, winning four.
The Oilers moved to Tennessee for the 1997 season, and they made McNair the full-time starter. He led the team to an 8-8 record, after throwing for 2,665 yards and 14 passing touchdowns.
He also set career bests of 101 rushing attempts for 674 yards and eight scores. He also led the NFL with a 6.7 yards per rushing attempt average.
The Oilers went 8-8 again the next year, but McNair showed steady improvement. He threw for 3,228 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He also ran for 559 yards and four scores, while averaging a career high 7.3 yards per rushing attempt. One of his runs was a career-long 74 yards.
The Oilers then changed their name to the Titans for the start of the 1999 season. McNair ran for 337 yards, and matched his career high of eight rushing touchdowns in the 11 games he played that year.
He also tossed nine touchdowns as he led the Titans to nine wins. Tennessee would go on to appear in Super Bowl XXXIV but lose.
McNair got his first Pro Bowl nod in 2000. He led the Titans to 12 wins in the 15 games he started in. He also tossed 15 touchdown passes that year.
The Titans won just seven of the 15 games McNair started the next year, but he did throw for 3,350 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for five more scores.
McNair was now in the prime of his career. His 2002 season saw him set career bests of 492 attempts for 301 completions with 3,387 yards. He also tossed 22 touchdowns, and ran for three more.
It was also the last time in his career he would run for over 400 yards. In fact, he never ran for more than 139 yards again.
The pinnacle of his career was in 2003. Despite missing two games, he led the NFL in yards gained passing attempt, adjusted yards gained per passing attempt, yards gained per completion, net yards gained per passing attempt, adjusted net yards gained per passing attempt, and quarterback rating.
His 229.6 yards gained per game was a career best, as was his 24 passing touchdowns. He was named to his second Pro Bowl and shared the 2003 Associated Press NFL MVP Award with Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.
The 2004 season saw McNair lose eight games to injury. He rebounded the next year with his last Pro Bowl season.
Despite the fact he missed two games, and the fact the Titans won just four of the games he started, McNair threw for 3,161 yards and 16 scores. He also rushed for his last score as a Titan.
Before the 2005 season began, the Titans traded McNair to the Baltimore Ravens for a fourth-round choice in the 2007 draft. The Ravens immediately named McNair their starting quarterback.
He responded by leading Baltimore to a 13-3 record. It would be the fourth and final time that he would play in every game in a season. He ran for his final career rushing touchdown, and threw for 3,050 yards and 16 scores.
After an injury-plagued 2007 season that saw McNair play just six games, he retired.
His 27,141 career passing yards as a Oiler/Titan is the second most in franchise history behind Hall Of Famer Warren Moon. His 156 passing touchdowns is third behind Moon and Hall Of Famer George Blanda.
His 83.3 quarterback rating is the best in franchise history for anyone who threw over 677 passes for the team.
He ranks ninth on the teams all-time rushing board, and leads all quarterbacks in that category. His 36 rushing touchdowns is the third most in team history.
Steve McNair may never be inducted into Canton, but his toughness and leadership will not soon be forgotten. He is a member of the team's Ring of Honor, and one of the team's legends.
Dan Pastorini and Pete Beathard deserve mention.
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