Last week, the Tennessee Titans elected to kick their franchise quarterback, Steve McNair, out of their facilities after he showed up for a revitalizing April workout. Why? Because the Titans don't want to be responsible for the $9 million in salary McNair would get if he's injured before the season. Since the Titans' true colors shone through, they have come under more fire than George W. Bush, and rightfully so.In his 11 seasons with the Titans organization, McNair has been widely regarded as one of the true warriors in the NFL. There have been numerous times when he's been unable to practice all week, but he suited up on Sundays and shredded the opposition's pass-defense. In 2003, McNair's best season, he battled a barrage of injuries throughout the latter months of 43 Polamalu black jersey
the season and playoffs, but still won Co-MVP honors with quarterback Peyton Manning; McNair tossed 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions that season, with a 62.5 percent completion rate, and 3,215 passing yards. Tennessee ended up losing a heart-wrenching 17-14 game in Gillette Stadium to the eventual champion New England Patriots.In the McNair era, the Tennessee Titans have appeared in the playoffs four times and won five playoff games, including an AFC Championship back in 1999. After winning their conference, McNair and the Titans headed to the Super Bowl and lost a 23-16 heartbreaker to the St. Louis Rams. In that loss, McNair threw for 214 yards and rushed for 64 more, while leading Tennessee from a 16-0 deficit in the fourth quarter to get within a yard of overtime. Unfortunately for the Titans, a Rams victory was meant to be that day, as linebacker Mike Jones tackled Titans receiver Kevin Dyson on the Rams' goal-line as regulation expired.Without question, the 33-year-old McNair's best years are behind him, but it doesn't excuse the Titans' disrespectful behavior. Owner Bud Adams could have personally handled the matter in a much classier way, rather than having the Titans' trainer, Brad Brown, inform the quarterback that he wasn't welcome at the team's facilities. What Adams should have done is informed McNair by calling him at home, but he instead opted to make a mockery of the veteran by allowing him to show up and be unceremoniously ejected. Now, one has to wonder if any veterans will want to sign in Tennessee in the future; one thing that teams don't want to do is give themselves a track record of disrespecting one or some of the league's most treasured players, but the Titans did it anyway.At this point, it doesn't seem like the Titans and McNair will be able to carry on a relationship that went all the way back to the last two years of the Houston Oilers franchise. The Titans will likely release McNair at some point, but even if they refuse to do so, he'll expectedly demand a release. If the Titans fail to finish what they've started, this situation could get far uglier than it already is. Obviously, nobody wants that.With McNair more than likely out of the way, the Titans will at least be able to draft a quarterback with the third pick in the upcoming draft and throw the rookie to the fire immediately. USC's Matt Leinart, Texas' Vince Young and Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler are the three highest-rated quarterbacks coming out this year. Some believe that the pick will be Leinart because of his relationship with Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Prior overtures claimed that Young would be the pick because McNair's his mentor, but picking the protégé of the man the organization just slapped in the face doesn't seem judicious. Cutler may be a long shot to go this high, but Chow was enamored with his individual workout two weeks ago. Essentially, don't rule any of these three out; however, the Titans would be wise to select Leinart because of the dead-on comparisons he's drawn to former San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana, and current Patriots star Tom Brady.Now that the Titans have thrown McNair under an 18-wheeler, they better hope 4 Brett Favre White jersey
that their quarterback of the future pans out. It will be difficult for the youngster to match what McNair did over 11 seasons in Tennessee, but if he does, he'll be a special player. As for the fans of Tennessee, they'll have to carry on sans the warrior they so affectionately referred to as "No. 9."
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