"They kept labeling McNair the toughest man in the NFL."
That is how Brad Hopkins – who played tackle for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans from 1993-2005 – describes Steve McNair at one point during 'Untold: The Murder of Air McNair' on Netflix. That is how McNair should be remembered.
"Untold: The Murder of Air McNair" does its best to split that story into two timelines – with the rise of McNair on the field juxtaposed against his death on July 4, 2009 in a fashion similar to "The Last Dance" documentary. McNair was just 36 years old, and yet 15 years has not separated those memories.
"The Murder of Air McNair" touches on the following parts of McNair's life and death in the documentary.
How to watch 'Untold: The Murder of Air McNair'
"Untold: The Murder of Air McNair" is available to stream on Netflix on Aug. 20.
Steve McNair was an HBCU legend at Alcorn State
Alcorn State teammate Robert Gaddy says, "There were going to be two or three plays a game where he did something remarkable."
That highlight-reel flair and strong arm – McNair routinely threw the football 70 yards in the air — earned the nickname " Air McNair." He is on the short list of greatest HBCU players of all time.
It is easy to forget how good McNair was at Alcorn State. From 1991-94, McNair totaled 14,496 passing yards, 2,327 rushing yards and 152 total TDs at Alcorn State.
In 1994, he passed for 5,377 yards and 47 TDs with 904 rushing yards and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Colorado's Rashaan Salaam and Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter.
Steve McNair was drafted by the Houston Oilers
Former Titans coach Jeff Fisher is the most-prominent interview throughout the documentary. He was the coach of the Houston Oilers when they selected McNair with the No. 3 pick in the 1995 NFL Draft.
McNair was the quarterback when the team relocated to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans. McNair and running back Eddie George emerged as the star players on a team that made the quick rise to contender in the AFC under Fisher.
Steve McNair nearly won Super Bowl
Super Bowl XXXIV also comes into focus during "Untold: The Murder of Air McNair." The "Music City Miracle" against Buffalo would eventually lead to a showdown with the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl.
McNair made amazing plays down the stretch to rally Tennessee to a near game-tying touchdown, but receiver Kevin Dyson was tackled by Kevin Jones one short of the end zone on the final play from scrimmage. St. Louis won 23-16, but McNair’s stardom grew from that moment.
Steve McNair was an NFL MVP
There are multiple references to the 2003 season, when McNair shared the AP NFL MVP award with Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning. Both quarterbacks received 16 votes that season after leading their respective teams to a 12-4 record.
McNair left Tennessee after the 2005 season and played two seasons in Baltimore from 2006-07 before retiring.
Steve McNair was murdered on July 4, 2009
The documentary chronicles the shock when Nashville Police discovered McNair was murdered on July 4, 2009. The investigation would reveal that Sahel "Jenni" Kazemi shot McNair four times. Kazemi – who was McNair's girlfriend at the time – then committed suicide.
There is a heavy focus on Kazemi throughout the documentary and her relationship with McNair.
The documentary recalls the events that led to McNair's stunning death. 'The Murder of Air McNair' revisits those events through Nashville police investigator Charles Robinson and reporter Amy Viteri. Private investigator Vincent Hill is among those who question the nature of the investigation and whether other suspects should have been questioned, but 15 years later the initial conclusion still stands.
Hopkins and Fisher give emotional interviews throughout the documentary about that loss. "The Murder of Air McNair" is a tragic tale of the legacy of an NFL star and the pain that still remains from his shocking death, but not enough details emerge. This is more of a remembrance than a true-crime story.