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One of my favorite stories as a young sportswriter eventually turned tragic.

Fifteen years ago this month, former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was murdered on July 4, 2009, in Nashville, Tennessee. McNair and his girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, 20, were found fatally shot in a condominium in downtown Nashville. Their deaths were eventually ruled as a murder-suicide.

When I became a sportswriter for The Biloxi Sun Herald in 1992, one of my earlier assignments was covering “Air McNair” at Alcorn State University. Between 1992 and 1994, I always looked forward to my drive in Lorman, Mississippi every weekend. During my trip, I often ran into future Boonemedia colleagues at the Natchez Democrat.

Thirty years ago, McNair played his final season with the Braves as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Not because I was covering McNair, I felt he should have won the Heisman that season.

Colorado running back Rashaan Salaam won the Heisman that season only because he ran for over 2,000 yards. Salaam, who died in 2016, had a stellar season, but what McNair did at a small school was more impressive. A co-worker who had a Heisman vote at the time voted for McNair and I didn’t have to convince him.

I was grateful to The Sun Herald for approving my trips for McNair’s development as a NFL quarterback with the Houston Oilers. When the Oilers were relocating to Nashville and played briefly in Memphis, I was in both towns.  McNair played 13 NFL years with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens and to me, is a fringe Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Every summer McNair held his football camp on the Mississippi Coast, we always talked for our annual football section. 

We became friends.  I also got to know his family: mother Lucille, older brother Fred McNair and younger brothers Tim McNair, Jason McNair and Michael McNair. I also knew Mechelle McNair, McNair’s wife, who was lovely and charming. They had four children. 

I don’t judge McNair for his infidelity. We all make mistakes.  When I think of McNair, memories of the days at Alcorn State and the NFL dance inside my head. McNair played a big role in my development as a journalist. For that, I will always be grateful.

James Jones is the managing editor of The Selma Times-Journal. He can be reached at james.jones@selmatimesjournal.com.