McNair Retiring

[The Rick]

McNair announces to teammates in meeting he's retiring

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair has decided to retire from the NFL, announcing his decision to teammates at a packed meeting prior to the Ravens' workouts Thursday morning.

A news conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday at the Ravens' headquarters in Owings Mills, Md. First-year coach John Harbaugh, general manager Ozzie Newsome and wide receiver Derrick Mason and cornerback Samari Rolle are expected to accompany McNair at the news conference.
McNair spent 13 seasons in the NFL, and was named the co-Most Valuable Player in 2003.

Drafted by the then-Houston Oilers in the first round of the 1995 draft out of Division I-AA Alcorn State, McNair became a starter in his third season -- the franchise's first in Tennessee. He led the Titans to the Super Bowl XXXIV, where he led a comeback that fell one yard short of a game-tying touchdown as time expired in the St. Louis Rams' 23-16 win.

McNair was known as "Air McNair" in college, where he set NCAA records in Alcorn State's wide-open offense and won the 1994 Walter Payton Award as the best player in I-AA football. But he shed that nickname for a reputation for physical toughness in the NFL, where he often played through injuries.

Over his 13-year career, McNair completed 2,733 of 4,544 passes for 31,304 yards and 174 touchdowns with 119 interceptions. He also carried for 3,590 rushing yards.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3351086