McNair's death ruled a homicide

Sports Network | July 5, 2009

Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - The shooting death of former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair has been ruled a homicide.

McNair and a female friend were found shot to death Saturday at a Nashville condominium.

Nashville police department public affairs manager Don Aaron spoke at a news briefing Sunday and classified McNair's death, but would not do the same for the other victim, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi.

Aaron said McNair had multiple gunshot wounds, including two in the head and two in the chest. He added that the gun, a semiautomatic pistol, was found underneath Kazemi.

Circumstances surrounding the shooting were still not clear, although Aaron did say interviews with others indicated a dating relationship between the two.

"All scenarios are open," Aaron stated Sunday. "Nothing is being ruled out."

McNair, who announced his retirement from the NFL in April 2008, last played in the NFL in 2007, when he was with the Ravens. The longtime Titans quarterback spent 13 seasons in the NFL, 11 with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, McNair was named co-MVP of the league in 2003. In 161 games (153 starts), McNair threw for 31,304 yards on 2,733- of-4,544 passing, with 174 touchdowns. He also ran for 3,590 career yards and 37 TDs.

McNair was selected third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers, after he enjoyed a stellar college career at Alcorn State, winning the Walter Payton Award as the top player in Division I-AA (currently FCS) in 1994.