Nothing seemed amiss. FameUSA TodayMcNair's Widow Gets Control of . On July 4, 2009, Steve McNair and Sahel 'Jenni' Kazemi were found dead with gunshot wounds in a condo that McNair had rented in Nashville. The Metro Nashville Police Department ruled it a murder-suicide with Kazemi as the perpetrator. You're in disbelief that even what you're hearing and how it happened, happened.". Steve "Air" McNair was one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League over 13 seasons, mostly with the Tennessee Titans. But she has released a statement in which she expressed thanks for the outpouring of support and sympathy her family has received. Carson Wentz is determined to continue his playing career and the quarterback is open to various roles that could help a team, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday. I met McNair on May 27, 2000, when big brother Fred McNair and the original Air McNair by the way signed with the Carolina Cobras of the Arena Football League. Or sign in with one of these services The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Timeline of Steve McNair and Sahel 'Jenni' Kazemi leading up to their deaths. She paid $100 for a 9mm pistol in a hurried transaction in the restaurant parking lot. ", The McNair family released this statement through McNair's agent Bus Cook: "The families of Steve McNair in Mississippi and Tennessee appreciate the concern, thoughts and prayers during this difficult time of our loss of a husband, father and son. She would describe this discovery to her friend, EmilyAndrews, during a phone call on July 2. Kazemi's family told reporters that the woman was so confident McNair was divorcing his wife of 12 years that she was preparing to sell her furniture and move in with him. Time unknown (evening):Vent "Casper" Gordon gets a call from McNair asking him to meet for drinks at Corner Pub, a downtown sports bar. I try to support my brother as much as I can, and I had a chance to come here and spend time with him, McNair said. A faithful man. 6:54 a.m.: Norfleet hears banging on his apartment door. After a few expletives, he replied in disgust, Thats their racist way of saying Houston needs to dummy down the playbook so he can learn it.. The things he did on the football field to make us all feel his loss are the things we'll hang on to most, but the strange circumstances that led up to his murder make so many things hard to decipher. Investigators may never know why Kazemi shot McNair four times as he dozed on a sofa early Saturday before turning the gun on herself, Police Chief Ronal Serpas said. 5:45-6 a.m.: McNair leaves Ignagnis apartment and says he is going to his restaurant, Gridiron9. LORMAN, Miss. McNairs wife, Mechelle, is not trying to exclude McNairs mother and two children he had with other women, his agent, James Bus Cook, told The Associated Press. He did as much as he possibly could to help the community, Mason said of the four-time Pro Bowler and2005 NFL Man of the Year nominee who wasthe highest-draftedAfrican Americanquarterback in NFL history when he was selected third overall in 1995. It looked like he was gone and I didnt want to believe it., According to USA Today, police have said Kazemi wasnt McNairs only mistress. "On the field, there isn't player that was as tough as him, especially at the quarterback position," the Ravens' Derrick Mason said. Kazemi, known as Jenny to her friends, fled Iran as a teenager with her family. McNair left a large estate behind thats in probate in both Tennessee and Mississippi. 3 overall draft pick by the Houston Oilers in 1995, expectations were high, but McNair rarely played early in his NFL career. Image Credit: Mechelle McNair/ESPN. Rams win, but a star in Tennessee was born. McNair was with her but not charged. The condominium is located within walking distance of an area filled with restaurants and nightspots, a few blocks from the Cumberland River and within view of the Titans' stadium. 9:23 p.m.: Kazemi returns from her lunch break. 9-9:30 p.m.: FriendDoug Crowe talks to McNair, who tells him hed been fishing all day and was going to shower before meeting up with Crowe and his girlfriend. Instead, they would demand to be traded or gripe to the media or simply opt not to earn their potential reward. 2:03 a.m.: Kazemi and McNair exchange the following text messages. Kevin Dyson, who caught a pass from McNair but fell only one yard short of scoring a potential game-tying touchdown in the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl, said McNair's death shouldn't be an example used to preach to young people about doing things certain ways. #truecrime #truecrimedocumentary #nflTen years ago, former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was found dead in his downtown condo along with his girl. She was found dead near the body of former professional football quarterback Steve McNair, 36, in his Nashville condominium. McNair listed herself and her children as direct heirs, then listed the quarterbacks other children elsewhere in the filing since the court had no immediate proof the children were legally Steve McNairs. "If you were going to draw a football player, the physical part, the mental part, everything about being a professional, he is your guy," former Ravens and Titans teammate Samari Rolle said. The funeral service for Steve McNair is held in Reed Green Coliseum at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., Saturday, July 11, 2009. We immediately think of his family, his boys. Time unknown: Andrew Gilliam Jr. goes to Kazemi'sapartment, and she asks him about a gun. But there existed another side to the former Titans quarterback and 2003 NFL co-MVP, one that was more susceptible to temptation. It's every day you need to perform to a certain level, you need to do something. Despite the lower level of competition played there, the Houston Oilers thought enough about McNairs strong arm and athleticism to make him the third overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft. Reach Erik Bacharach atebacharach@tennessean.comand on Twitter @ErikBacharach. Williams estimates 11,000 kids attended those camps. He threw 14 touchdown passes and threw for 2,665 yards. I knew about HBCUs, of course, with Morgan State and Coppin State in the area, but didnt follow HBCU sports. . She uses his computer to post her furniture for sale on Craigslist. Lost in the fireworks and festivities of July 4, was the three-year anniversary of the death of former NFL MVP Steve McNair.McNair, 36, was found dead on July 4, 2009, at his then-girlfriend's . The Vicksburg Post reports the ceremony Whether McNair's presence would have helped Young is just another unanswered question to add into the hundreds of others surrounding McNair's death. Early last Thursday morning, Kazemi was arrested for drunk driving. Born Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 - July 4, 2009) in Mount . In 1999, when the team was renamed the Titans and moved into its permanent home, McNair engineered a Super Bowl run. McNairwas exposed to the pressures marquee athletes face. . They enter the condo together. McNairs college career was fascinating because he was so talented, so extraordinary and yet couldnt gain the respect he deserved from mainstream media. At 5 p.m. the same day, police say, she bought the murder weapon for $100 from Adrian Gilliam Jr., in a mall parking lot. "He was the greatest person in the world. And, truth be told, didnt want to. 1:45 a.m.: Keith Norfleet, Kazemi's ex-boyfriend, gets a call from Kazemi after his shift at White Castle. The body of a young woman nearly half his age his mistress, Sahel Kazemi was found along with him. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- As we learn more about the details surrounding Steve McNair's death, we're also finding out more about his life. About 20 minutes later, she texts McNair. He texts Kazemi, who is already at the condo. She told a friend on Friday that "My life is a ball of s- and I should end it," Serpas said. The Tennessean reconstructed the pair's final days through a study of 248 pages of law enforcement documents related to the investigation, taped interviews with witnesses, video footage and media coverage afterhis death. One of McNairs final community efforts was opening Gridiron9, a since-closed restaurant on Jefferson Street intendedto give Tennessee State students an affordable place to eat. 9:16 p.m.: Kazemi receives a call from Gilliam. Kazemi laughs and teases the officer but also says she's scared of going to jail. They are all in our thoughts and prayers," he said "What we admired most about Steve when we played against him was his competitive spirit, and we were lucky enough to have that with us for two years. Nov 7, 2018. May you be richly blessed for all that you have done and continued to do. ", "At this juncture, we do not believe she is involved," he said. Drink some water. 10:45 p.m.: McNair texts Ignagni and tells her he will be at her apartment within the hour. That proof a well-documented legal history in Mississippi has been supplied, Cook said. 10:30 a.m. Kazemi: im tryin I just want this pain in my chest to go away, 10:32 a.m. McNair: You want me to come see about u. Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron confirme ", A note attached to a small blue teddy bear read, "We will never forget you, Steve. That ascension from despair showed more about McNair than anything, George said. A funeral service will be held Saturday in Mississippi. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback was being remembered Wednesday at the stadium where he played much of his career. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The death of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair shocked people in Nashville and around the country. You were just in disbelief.. 5-6 p.m.: Gilliam sells Kazemi a 9 mm handgun in the parking lot of Dave &Buster's before her shift begins. "By all accounts, says Keteyian, it seemed like a classic tale of love-gone-wrong. He amassed 31,304 passing yards and 174 touchdowns, and 3,590 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns. You're a play away, a year away -- a situation away -- from it being over.". McNair is already at the pub with Kazemi. He played sparingly the first two seasons, and naturally fans wanted to know why. Mechelles the only one that can contest it and shes not contesting it, Cook said. Who is this quarterback from some school named Alcorn State University on the cover? His girlfriend of eight months, 20-year-old waitress Sahel Kazemi, known as "Jenni," was found lying facedown near his feet with a single bullet wound to her right temple. But that changed in 1994, when my Sept. 26 issue of Sports Illustrated arrived in the mail. Carrick said . The McNairs were selling their 26-room Nashville home in the upscale Green Hills neighborhood valued at $3.2 million at the time of his death. McNair grew up in Mississippi and chose to attend . Mason remembers the shock he felt in 2007 when McNair told him in the Ravens locker room that he was going to retire. "He was one of the nice guys who would talk to you, not like the other athletes," Brandon Millichamp, Kazemi's coworker, told the Tennessean newspaper. Photographs: AP. "He was probably searching for something. Should you choose that brand-new romantic thriller . 8:34 p.m.: Kazemi: baby where u gonna be at when I get off, 8:50 p.m. McNair: Im at the home now baby what time u get off, 9:10 p.m. Kazemi: Where u gonna be at baby, 9:15 p.m. McNair: at home til the kids fall asleep, 9:18 p.m. Kazemi: k ill call u when I get off. Police, however, say Kazemi simply lost it in the last week of her life -- stressed out over mounting bills and her relationship with McNair. 3:09 a.m.: Norfleet clocks out at White Castle. The two were found dead by McNair's friends, Wayne Neeley and Robert Gaddy. Neeley then called another friend of McNair's, Robert Gaddy, who dialed 911 to alert authorities. "It was like, he has no enemies. Thats what life is all about, supporting your people.. He was 36. "I go running down to the locker room to congratulate him and hes laying on the table in the training room, convulsing," Reese said, "because he was in so much pain that he just could barely take it. Fred McNair, Steve McNair's oldest brother, said some family members likely will travel to Nashville on Monday to consult with Steve McNair's wife. Police believed she shot McNair in the temple while he was . Time unknown:Kazemi has a conversation with her shift manager about her relationship with McNair, the living situation andDUI circumstances. Former Titans quarterback McNair shot to death, UFC 285 live results and analysis: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Las Vegas prepared to give A's 'better opportunity', Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, Curry, Iguodala probable to return vs. Lakers, Sources: Suns hiring Pistons' Bartelstein as CEO, Mbappe breaks PSG's all-time scoring record, Bruins stroll past Kane, Rangers, win 10th in row, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick. McNair, 36, was among the best football quarterbacks of his era, an African-American excelling in a position typically dominated by whites. Ten years later, those close . I was holding my breath and hoping it wasn't true. For many, the pain still lingers and will never go away. Advertisement. What you saw . Kazemi's roommate had decided to move out, leaving her responsible for the entire $1,000 per month rent payment. SEC Men's Basketball Tournament 2023 bracket, schedule, TV info, Sahel "Jenni" Kazemi shot and killedMcNair, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The Daily Grind Video. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Steven has stuck to his story. ", Police announced the ruling after what they called "nearly four days of intensive investigation.". He had something written down a script. When he arrives to pick up the car, a police officer tells Norfleet that Kazemi's boyfriend was in the car with her. 8:27 p.m.: Kazemi places a call to Gilliam. Steve McNair Death Probe Questioned Exclusive Pictures: McNair's Lover Sahel Kazemi. ", First published on October 19, 2009 / 8:13 AM. "He put this organization on the map here in Tennessee," Fisher said of McNair. She stalked the other woman in an effort to learn her identity but never confronted her, police said. When Nashville, Tennessee, finally got its own team in the National Football League in 1999, it named its new stadium the Coliseum. Your prayers, kind deeds and outpouring of support throughout this difficult time have been of tremendous comfort to us, she said in the statement. McNair's July 2009 murder, on Independence Day no less, reverberated throughout the NFL community. Ten years later, he just chooses to focus on his favorite side of McNair. NewsOne Featured Video. (AP) Alcorn State University says it will officially retire the No. 10:55 p.m.-10:58p.m.: Kazemis home computer is used. Steve McNair was 36 years old. Corrupt Crimes Death of a Football Legend Pro-football legend Steve McNair's secret affair ends in a murder/suicide; Chicago cop Jon Burge provides extremely cruel and unusual punishment. will be showcased in each installment. The pain was turned up a notch for two of McNairs sons who said they were not invited to their fathers jersey-retirement ceremony last year. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Cause of death: An investigation by Nashville police determined she and McNair died as the result of a murder-suicide. USA Today reported that the Metro Nashville Police Department concluded Kazemi shot and killed . Even though he left no will, Steve McNair's entire immediate family has been provided for under instructions the slain . She then fired three more shots at close range, sat on the couch next to his body and killed herself so that she would fall into his lap, police said. Were a platform for your news, your voice and your community. Steve McNair and his lady friend, Sahel Kazemi, both found dead Saturday in McNair's rented condo in Nashville, TN, were killed in an apparent murder suicide. It's those moments, coupled with all those benevolent gestures aimed at bettering his community, that make the circumstances of McNair's death hard to comprehend for those close to him. More than an hour passed before a University of Maryland football trainer called 911 after a player . Crimesider: Was Steve McNair Murder Investigation Flawed? 9:58 a.m. McNair: Why your phone been off, 9:59 a.m. Kazemi: Im at the store tryin to fix it, 10 a.m. McNair: Did u stay at the condo because I came by there this morning, 10:02 a.m. Kazemi: yes but I have people comin to look at the furniture 2day, 10:05 a.m. Kazemi: Baby I might have a break down im so stressed, 10:06 a.m. McNair: Everything gonna be ok, 10:12 a.m. Kazemi: baby I need to pay the cell phone bills n the hospital. SI: True Crime's first narrative podcast, Steve McNair: Fall of a Titan will make you re-examine everything you think you know about the quarterback. McNair played all 16 games in 2006, his first season in Baltimore, and guided the Ravens to a 13-3 record. Mac never said anything to me about he was going to get a divorce, and ever since this has all happened everybody is trying to paint a certain picture and they need to talk about what they know," Gaddy told the newspaper. Final Season Stats. The Guardian described the football player's tragic untimely demise as "a very modern love story." McNair was found dead in his apartment in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 4, 2009. 10:45 p.m.-11 p.m.: Crowe calls Fowzi Said Ali of the Yellow Cab Co. to pick them up from Blue Moon Lagoon. or redistributed. This figure represents a 2.6% increase from last year when the average cost of a breach was USD 4.24 million. But for that to happen to theinfallibleMcNair? His girlfriend, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, died of a gunshot wound to the side of the head. (Allen Kee via AP) 18 / 69. 6:24 and 6:25 p.m.: Kazemi places two calls to Gilliam. Alcorn plays in the Southwestern Athletic Conference against inferior opponents, critics said. Police said Kazemi, 20, shot McNair in his left temple as he slept on his couch in the early hours of Saturday. C.J. There have been some great athletes to come out of HBCUs, but McNair and Howard University were my coming-of-age moments in HBCU sports. More at The Tennessean including: "A Sunday morning autopsy revealed that McNair was shot four times - twice in the head, twice in the chest. !function(e,t,n,a,s,c,i){if(!e[s]){i=e[s]=function(){i.process?i.process.apply(i,arguments):i.queue.push(arguments)},i.queue=[],i.t=1*new Date;var o=t.createElement(n);o.async=1,o.src=a+"?t="+Math.ceil(new Date/c)*c;var r=t.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];r.parentNode.insertBefore(o,r)}}(window,document,"script","https://navi.lawmatics.com/intake.min.js","lm_intake",864e5),lm_intake("51d8f502-c645-43c3-8d38-adc7be82724d", "subme02"); !function(e,t,n,a,s,c,i){if(!e[s]){i=e[s]=function(){i.process?i.process.apply(i,arguments):i.queue.push(arguments)},i.queue=[],i.t=1*new Date;var o=t.createElement(n);o.async=1,o.src=a+"?t="+Math.ceil(new Date/c)*c;var r=t.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];r.parentNode.insertBefore(o,r)}}(window,document,"script","https://navi.lawmatics.com/intake.min.js","lm_intake",864e5),lm_intake("51d8f502-c645-43c3-8d38-adc7be82724d", "subme3"); Copyright 2020 Legacy Planning Law Group. All rights reserved. Then again, it feels even weirder that McNair's story already has an ending. McNair asks Gordon if he isgoing out. He wouldnt put up those eye-popping numbers (15,010 passing yards, 2,295 yards rushing and 122 touchdowns in four years) in a stronger conference. 10 years after the death of Steve McNair, the former NFL QB who seemingly led a double life. What you saw was what you got. It is a sad, sad day. Serpas said police believe McNair was asleep when he was killed because there were no defensive wounds. Also, read one of our previous Blogs here: Click hereto check out our On Demand Video about Estate Planning. "When Steve started holding his camps, nobody else was doing a whole lot of them," saidMitchell Williams, a Mississippi sports anchor who was close to McNair. Ronald McNair was one of the astronauts killed 25 years ago on Jan. 28, when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. Noon: Norfleets friend calls someoneto pick him up from the apartment where he had spent the night. He asks her to step out of the car. Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair's shooting death was a homicide, police said Sunday, but authorities stopped short of saying it was a murder-suicide committed by the 20-year-old . Kazemi had just split with her boyfriend and gave McNair, a regular diner, her phone number. It was how McNair handled the adversity that he didn't generate but often faced. "I can't even wrap my arms around it. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "It's still kind of hard to believe," Fred McNair said. George doesn't ignore that. Steve McNair had wills drafted two or three times before his death, but never signed them. But we need your help to continue that critical work. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Ozzie Newsome, Ravens executive vice president and general manager, said he immediately thought of McNair's four sons. 8:34 p.m.: Norfleet and Kazemi exchange text messages while he is at work. Bucky Brooks, Rhett Lewis and Lance Zierlein are back with a new episode of Move the Sticks live from the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. USA Today reported that the Metro Nashville Police Departmentconcluded Kazemi shot and killed McNair before shooting herself. Steve McNair. It was nearly 11 years ago when former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was found dead next to a young woman in a downtown Nashville condo. At the time of the shooting, McNair was thought to be sleeping on the sofa. He does not have keys to the car and leaves it. Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron says, "The gun was purchased Thursday evening, after the traffic stop, after the DUI arrest.". Yet, Keteyian points out, police implied the DUI arrest fueled Kazemi's anger, triggering her purchase of the gun. I was working at a television station in Baltimore, Maryland, at the time and freelancing as an ACC sportswriter on the side. Aaron said Neeley told authorities he went into the condo, saw McNair on the sofa and Kazemi on the floor but walked first into the kitchen before going back into the living room, where he saw the blood. Paddy McNair of Middlesbrough in action against West Brom (Image: Steve Flynn/News Images) Group 28 Get the latest Boro stories straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter She was charged with DUI. "Touchable. Just so touchable and approachable and always spending time with those campers," Williams said. McNair, 36, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, met Kazemi six months ago at a restaurant where she was a waitress and his family often ate.