Steve McNair (official thread)

[Ohio Steeler]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2474267

After an offseason of not being able to work out in the Titans facility, Steve McNair is finally going to have a new office to call home -- in Baltimore.
Pending a physical, McNair is on his way to Baltimore in a trade that is believed to involve a fourth-round choice in 2007. Those were terms that have been discussed for the past several weeks between the two teams. There is a possibility the draft pick could become a third-round choice depending on his playing time and performance in 2006.
The Titans released a statement Wednesday that spelled out McNair's departure. "We have granted permission to Baltimore to give Steve McNair a physical, which we expect to take place in the next 24 hours," the Titans said in statement. "Upon passing a physical, final trade terms will be agreed upon."
The trade ends one of the strangest exits of a franchise quarterback in recent NFL history. McNair, a 10-year institution with the Titans who helped take the team to a Super Bowl, had to win a grievance against the Titans to be allowed in the facility because the team feared an injury. McNair, considered a warrior who fought through numerous injuries to play during his 10-year career, had a $23 million cap number and the team didn't want him to be hurt and then be stuck with the high salary cap number.
After winning the grievance, the Titans informed him last week that he failed the team physical at the end of last season and needed to take another physical in order to return to the team. McNair and his agent, Bus Cook, were in the process of trying to schedule that physical when the team decided to let him go the Ravens.
During the second day of the NFL draft in April, the Titans gave Cook permission to talk to the Ravens about a new contract. Cook worked out a deal that gave him an $11 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary. That was more than the $9 million he was scheduled to make in base salary for the Ravens in 2006.
In acquiring McNair, the Ravens feel they have received the final piece of the puzzle that could enable them to challenge the Steelers and the Bengals for the NFC North title. The 33-year-old McNair was the third pick in the 1995 draft and the Titans did the right thing in grooming him for greatness.
They only let him start six games during his first two seasons in Houston. By his third season, McNair was a starter in which the franchise was able to start building a winner. His completion percentage and quarterback rating kept improving as the team improve around him.
He went to the Pro Bowl in 2000 and 2003.
Though Kyle Boller is currently the Ravens starting quarterback, McNair goes to the team with enough time for him to win the starting job and try to take the team to the playoffs. He reunites with two former Titans -- wide receiver Derrick Mason and cornerback Samari Rolle. Mason and Rolle signed with the Ravens last year.
For McNair, the trade ends a tough exit from the Titans. While he thought he was going to have to take a Thursday physical in Nashville for a team that no longer wanted him, McNair can take a Thursday physical with a Raven team that has waited the entire offseason to get him.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

[methomps]

Two thoughts on this:

1. This is great for the Titans since they were going to be forced to cut McNair (thus getting nothing) pretty soon in order to have money to sign their draft picks.

2. This is one reason college sports is so much better than pro sports. As a fan of a pro team, you frequently have to watch as the players you used to cheer leave to go play for your rivals. In football, it is the teams in your division that are most familiar with your players. Steve McNair was a big part of the Titans for years, and now he will be playing for their nemesis.

[buckeyeboy]

Does this mean that VY gets the nod on opening day for the Titans?

[Ohio Steeler]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Does this mean that VY gets the nod on opening day for the Titans?

nope Billy Volek will be there man this year then from what I am reading VY will be the man next year and Billy Volek will be looking for another team..

So you can say it is a 1 year try out for Billy Volek

[High Lonesome]

Originally Posted by Ohio Steeler

nope Billy Volek will be there man this year then from what I am reading VY will be the man next year and Billy Volek will be looking for another team..

So you can say it is a 1 year try out for Billy Volek

Until he gets hurt again

[Oneshot]

Bad move on the Titan's part.

VY needed McNair.

Badly.

McNair was the perfect mentor for VY.

[jlb1705]

About damn time. I'm tired of hearing about it.

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by Oneshot

Bad move on the Titan's part.

VY needed McNair.

Badly.

McNair was the perfect mentor for VY.

He has Uncle Norm to teach him the ropes.

On a serious note, who thinks this signals the end to Boller's stay at the helm in Baltimore? And, if Boller goes 2nd string do you think that is un upgrade for the Ravens or more of the same, but with an older and injury plagued QB? Finally, should McNair take the starting role is this really his last year - and what do the Ravens do for '07 and beyond?

FWIW my thoughts are
McNair gets the nod - possibly even before the season starts.
It is more of the same, though with a more experienced, yet injury plagued QB.
What the Ravens might do is actually draft a QB next year - or just continue with more of the same, possibly with a different cast.

[Mr. Clutch]

As a Titans fan, this is a quite painful loss. McNair, alongside Eddie George defined the Oilers/Titans team. In all honesty, the guy still might have enough left in the tank for two to three more quality seasons, before he runs out of gas, and his body gives out.

It'll be weird seeing McNair in another jersey, although I guess I'll have to get used to it.

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Does this mean that VY gets the nod on opening day for the Titans?

Umm, not quite.

Volek is definitely a solid QB, with plenty of experience. If any of you all can remember far enough back, in '04 he passed for like 2,500 yards in 8 starts, and one game he threw nearly 500 yards against the Raiders.

However, I see a situation similar to the '04 Giants, when Warner and Eli were under center. Warner had like eight or nine starts, and then the Giants' office decided it would be beneficial to get Eli some playing time.

On the other hand, the Titans will not be near as good as the '04 Giants (who weren't even that good to begin with). So Vince might have an oppurtunity by the sixth or seventh week of the season to get some needed playing time, that will definitely be beneficial for the Titans team and organization.

Originally Posted by Ohio Steeler

nope Billy Volek will be there man this year then from what I am reading VY will be the man next year and Billy Volek will be looking for another team..

So you can say it is a 1 year try out for Billy Volek

I agree with you nearly the whole way. However, as previously stated up in my post, I don't even see Volek playing the whole year because the Titans will not be a good team, and Young would probably be the only source of excitement to Titans and football fans in the Nashville area (which is definitely rare for a [censored]ty team).

[7 45 33 48]

This move will definitely start up Ravens Super Bowl talk. I have no idea why the media loves them so much.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

This move will definitely start up Ravens Super Bowl talk. I have no idea why the media loves them so much.

I agree that the media jumps on their bandwagon quickly. They have a few holes to fill on defense and on that offensive line before I think they could be considered a playoff team, let alone a Super Bowl contender.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

6/8/06

McNair will start at QB for Ravens

Thursday, June 08, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>JOHN RUSSELL ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The dispute between Steve McNair and Tennessee ended when he was traded to Baltimore. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Steve McNair finally split with the Tennessee Titans and is heading for Baltimore.

McNair, who led the Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl, was dealt yesterday to a team that has been seeking a prime quarterback throughout its 10-year existence. He still had to pass a physical in Baltimore to finalize the deal, but the Ravens planned to introduce the man who shared the NFL’s MVP award in 2003 as their new quarterback at a news conference this afternoon.

The Titans swapped the face of their franchise and a fan favorite for what is believed to be a fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft. They had been trying to renegotiate McNair’s salary from his scheduled $9 million to reduce a $23.46 million salary cap hit.

"Obviously, the best situation would’ve been somehow to have been able to pay him what his market value was and keep him," said Bus Cook, McNair’s agent.

"Without that, it’s best for everybody that Steve moves on."

McNair, who turned 33 in February, was the winningest quarterback in franchise history. In 11 seasons, he went 81-59 and shared the MVP award with Peyton Manning three years ago.

The quarterback won a grievance last week that allowed him to return to team headquarters and work out after being told he couldn’t on April 3.

But the Titans had given McNair’s agent permission to talk with Baltimore on April 30 about a contract and Cook worked out a five-year deal with an $11 million signing bonus and $1 million salary for 2006.

That was much more than McNair could get from the Titans, who had drafted quarterback Vince Young of Texas with the third overall pick in April.

McNair is expected to be the starting quarterback for the team that ended the Titans’ bid for a second straight Super Bowl appearance in 2001. That loss is merely one piece of the former AFC Central rivalry featuring physical games and trashtalking between the coaches.

Ravens coach Brian Billick said yesterday that players know change can happen at any position. He also wasn’t worried about McNair’s physical, even though the Titans had asked for a new physical, saying McNair failed his exit physical after missing the regular-season finale because of a strained pectoral muscle.

"As I understand it, he was cleared to play in the Pro Bowl. That one I’ll leave it to a higher pay grade than me to figure out how someone can fail an exit physical but be cleared to play in the Pro Bowl. I’m a little confused about that myself," Billick said.

The trade gives the Ravens the first star quarterback they have ever had.

"You can tell that from his mannerisms on the field and how he portrays and handles himself. He definitely brings some stability to the quarterback position," said tight end Todd Heap, who played with McNair in the Pro Bowl.

The trade also will reunite McNair with his favorite receiver. Derrick Mason signed with Baltimore last year after being among several starters released in a salary cap purge.

"I figure he’s still got two, three four years left in him if he doesn’t take the shots that he did in previous years," Mason said.
McNair is one of only four players in NFL history with 150 touchdowns passing and 35 rushing, trailing only Steve Young, Randall Cunningham and Steve Grogan. He is one of five with 25,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing, a group that includes John Elway, Fran Tarkenton, Young and Randall Cunningham.

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

Dispatch
(McNair to start for Ravens)
6/8/06

From yesterday - top of my list of what ifs and outcomes

McNair to get starting role in Baltimore,

Well that didn't take long now did it.

One prediction down - two to go.

[buckeyefool]

Originally Posted by methomps

2. This is one reason college sports is so much better than pro sports. As a fan of a pro team, you frequently have to watch as the players you used to cheer leave to go play for your rivals. In football, it is the teams in your division that are most familiar with your players. Steve McNair was a big part of the Titans for years, and now he will be playing for their nemesis.

They aren't in the same division. Baltimore has a much bigger rivarly with cleveland for obvious reason.

[Hubbard]

McNair arrested for DUI...He wasn't even driving...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2866004