Tennessee Titans: July 4, 2009, an Independence Day Titans fans would never forget

A nation was born on July 4, 1776, but on July 4, 2009, we lost one of the best NFL quarterbacks since the 2000s Steve McNair.

July 4th is a day for celebration, but ten years ago today we lost a legend. Steve McNair breathed his last breath before being shot and killed.

This was a day that Titans fans will never forget and maybe one of the worst Independence Day ever for some people when they heard their childhood hero had passed away.

A decade is a long time. I don’t want to look back at what happened on that day or what necessarily led to that moment. Instead, I want to remember McNair for the player he was and all that he did for the Titans and Nashville.

Starting back in college, McNair chose to go to Alcorn State in Mississippi after not wanting to convert to a defensive back in college and just because he went to a small school that wasn’t going to prevent him from becoming a great college quarterback.

"“Greatest quarterback to come through the SWAC [Southwestern Athletic Conference].” As Sports Illustrated named him, “the best quarterback — black or white, big school or small — in college football.”"

McNair threw for 5,377 yards and 47 touchdowns in his senior season. This was when the nickname “Air McNair” was born.

Air McNair was the highest drafted African-American quarterback in NFL history when the Oilers drafted him in 1995. He became a full-time starter in 1997 and led the Titans to a Super Bowl appearance two years later.

In 1997, McNair’s 2,665 passing yards were the most for the Oilers in a season since Warren Moon threw for 3,485 in 1993. McNair also had the third highest total yards for a quarterback in NFL history.

The Titans made it to their first and only Super Bowl in franchise history thanks to McNair. The Titans won seven of their last nine games and were hot enough to win the AFC Championship and take on the St. Louis Rams in the Big Game.

Unfortunately, McNair and the Titans came up one yard short from winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history. If McNair had been able to pull it off, he would’ve been a no-doubt first ballot Hall of Famer.

In 2003, he brought the Titans their first MVP since moving to Nashville. McNair was co-MVP with Peyton Manning who had one of his many standout years in Indianapolis.

McNair was something not only the Titans have never seen but most of the NFL. He did everything he could to help get the Titans the win every week. Whether that was using his feet, throwing it deep, or playing injured, he did it all.

"“You name the injury and Steve had it, and he still showed up. Not only did he show up, but he showed up and played extremely well,” teammate Eddie George said. “For most of his days in Tennessee he played like that. In his MVP year he played most of the year hurt. It is a testament to his willingness to win and how he sacrificed his body for the team.”"

McNair may not be a Hall of Famer yet, but he is well on his way, and he is getting honored by the Titans this fall by having his jersey number retired and joining the Ring of Honor.

He wasn’t just a great player on the field, but he was also a great person off of it. He spent countless hours in the Nashville community helping any way he could and earned the Titans’ 2005 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

31,304 yards and 174 touchdowns in 13 years. There’s only one word to describe McNair’s career: Legendary.

McNair brought joy to Titans fans from all over Tennessee. Although it wasn’t for the Vols, he gave his all for Tennessee and that’s all we can ask from our sports heros.

He was a legend of the game who made a few mistakes which ultimately ended his life a little early. He shouldn’t be remembered for that though; he should be remembered for what he did with the Titans.

He will be immortalized in Titans history this fall and should be immortalized as an NFL Hall of Famer soon after that.