The legacy Steve McNair leaves in the NFL is strong on heart and leadership, short on eye-catching numbers. In fact, his nickname, Air McNair, often didn't fit his 13-year resume with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and Ravens.
Ice McNair would have been more accurate - if not as poetic - for the second black quarterback to start in a Super Bowl.
In Nashville and Baltimore, McNair earned a reputation for his gritty leadership and unflappable demeanor. Few players were cooler under fire, say those who played with and against him. No quarterback was tougher.
But what McNair did best in the pocket was find a way to win. He won by breaking the prototype for his position. He was a muscular 6-foot-2 230-pounder who could beat you with his feet or his arm. A fullback when he carried the ball, he was a linebacker when he made contact. He rarely threw interceptions. He was almost always hurting.
And he won: 91 times in 153 NFL games, a winning percentage of .595.
So how are we to remember the one-time National Football League Most Valuable Player, slain in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday at age 36 with two gunshots to the head and two to the chest?
For his dual threat out of the backfield? For his ability to play through pain? For the doors he opened for small-college quarterbacks and for black quarterbacks?
"Most quarterbacks have something they can hang their hats on," said Eric DeCosta, Ravens director of player personnel, on Sunday.
"With Steve, he did everything well. He had remarkable size and strength, and was tough to bring down. He could make a play with his feet when things broke down. He had a strong arm and was a very proficient passer."
But what stood out most to DeCosta was the poise McNair displayed when it came to crunch time, the decisions he made and the mistakes he avoided.
In 161 career games, McNair threw just 119 interceptions, against 174 touchdowns.
"I think he had a lot of poise," DeCosta said. "He wasn't forced into making a play he didn't want to make.
"What set him apart was his calmness in the huddle. I don't think a lot of people were aware of that," DeCosta said. "Add his physical abilities and the intangible qualities he had, and that made him very tough to beat."
Both DeCosta and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome described McNair as one of the best quarterbacks in the league over the last 20 years. With the Titans in full meltdown from salary cap repercussions, the Ravens were able to pry McNair away from Tennessee in 2006 for just a fourth-round draft pick.
