Kriti Mehrotra
Netflix’s ‘Untold: The Murder of Air McNair’ examines the life, slaying, and aftermath of renowned NFL quarterback Stephen “Steve” McNair, who died at age 36, leaving behind a shocked family and fanbase. On July 4, 2009, this former Titans player was found in his downtown Nashville condo with multiple gunshot wounds alongside his mistress, Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi. In a short while, the officials concluded that she’d shot her boyfriend before turning the gun on herself in a jealous rage, yet the entire ordeal obviously still shattered the hearts of those he had to untimely leave behind.
Steve McNair Had a Blended Family
Stephen “Steve” LaTreal McNair fathered his namesake and Steven O’Brian McNair through different relationships before he met, fell in love, and tied the knot with his only wife, Mechelle McNair, on June 21, 1997. The couple had first met at Alcorn State, a historically black university in Claiborne County, Mississippi. At that point, the latter had a boyfriend and was only focused on pursuing a career in the medical field as a doctor. However, Steve’s persistence and personality soon won her over, resulting in her leaving the state with him after graduation to support his NFL career.
Steve and Mechelle happily welcomed their first child, Tyler McNair, a year after getting married, followed by his youngest, Trenton McNair, roughly five years later. By all accounts, although the athlete was usually exhausted when at home due to his practice and games, things were good for the McNair family, especially once he retired in 2008. Yes, he made mistakes and was figuring out what to do outside football, but he was apparently a good husband and father to all four of his children, as per his now-widow. Not only did he always keep them safe and well-provided for, but he was also always present when needed.
Following Steve’s tragic passing, save for a public statement expressing her gratitude for the love she and her family were receiving, Mechelle has rarely spoken about the incident or his illicit affairs. She merely wanted to grieve her loss in private. Her statement read, in part, “Your prayers, kind deeds, and outpouring of support throughout this difficult time have been of tremendous comfort to us…You are appreciated beyond measure.” Moreover, in the months that followed, despite the fact that Steve had not left a will, her lawyers revealed that, as per instructions, she would not exclude any of his kids from his estate.
Steve McNair’s Family is Now Moving Forward in Life
When Steve McNair Jr.’s father passed away, he was a star wide receiver at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Therefore, upon graduation, he committed to playing ball at Southern Mississippi before transferring to Pearl River Community College. And now, it appears as if, although he doesn’t play professionally, he is leading a happy life as a father and prefers to keep his distance from the spotlight. As for Steven O’Bryan McNair, who was 15 at the time of Steve Sr.’s death, he still resides in Mississippi, where he seems to be leading a relatively quiet life. However, in 2019, he claimed neither he nor his elder brother had been invited to the ceremony for his father’s jersey’s retirement.
Steven even went as far as to add that he and Steve Jr. have been closed out of their younger brothers’ lives and their father’s legacy, which Mechelle has since vehemently denied. In fact, the 49-year-old widow’s priority since 2009 has been to keep her partner’s memories alive through her work, all the while hoping his children do the same.
“At the end of the day, that’s my husband,” Mechelle told ESPN in 2018. “I loved him. I still love him. He was human. He made a mistake. Nothing’s going to change how I feel about my husband. He took care of us. He loved us. I do know that. Regardless of how he left here, I know he loved us… I can’t say that I didn’t have my bitter moments. And that I still don’t sometimes. But I’m not going to hell blaming somebody or having the hate and animosity in my heart. I’m not going to do it.”
According to the last reports, Mechelle never remarried but is seemingly dating, and she even received her nursing degree a few years ago. Thus, since she loves taking care of others, she has apparently also thought about becoming a foster parent one day. It doesn’t seem like she has followed through with this idea as yet, but it does interest her.
After all, both her sons have grown up and left the nest. Tyler McNair, who attended New York University on an academic scholarship for a degree in biology, has since pursued a career in the entertainment industry. Signed by Zebedee Talent, this Manhattan resident is actually a dancer, choreographer, as well as model – whether it be performing with groups, doing solo stuff, teaching classes, or leading campaigns for brands like GAP, he does it all. As for Trenton, he is a 6’5″ 2022 graduate from Brentwood Academy who now serves as a shooting guard for the Palm Beach Atlantic University basketball team in Florida. He chose this institution “because of the great environment and people” and is currently a sophomore.
Read More: Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi: Who Was She? Why Did She Kill Steve McNair?
