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  Eric Degerman is SportsTriCities.com's managing editor. Eric is a longtime Tri-City Herald sportswriter who spent several years covering a variety of sports, including the Western Hockey League, golf and outdoors. Have a question for Eric? Click here to e-mail him |
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Monday, Jul. 06, 2009
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The late "Air" McNair had early ties to Mariners
By Eric Degerman, sportstricities.com
Steve "Air" McNair was found shot to death Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., and the national media is looking back on his NFL career while the murder investigation continues.
He was a first-round pick of the Houston Oilers in 1995, and the No. 3 pick overall, but that wasn't the first time was drafted.
The Seattle Mariners took him in the 35th round of the 1991 draft. He was a selected as a shortstop out of Mount Olive (Miss.) High School, but instead he chose to play quarterback at Alcorn State.
In hindsight, the Oilers franchise -- now the Tennessee Titans -- and controversial owner Bud Adams deserve some credit for helping to break down the color barrier on the quarterback position in the NFL, twice making huge investments in going with African-Americans to lead their clubs.
The first time was when in 1984. The Oilers outbid other teams for the NFL rights to Warren Moon, the University of Washington product who went onto a remarkable career capped by induction into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (2001).
Moon's time when the Oilers ended with the 1993 season.
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