Late Titans quarterback Steve McNair was honored by his son, Tyler, on Saturday with a touching tribute as he was inducted posthumously into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

“As our family continues to miss his earthly presence each day, we are reminded that his true legacy is built on the life that he lived and his career, not simply his loss,’’ Tyler said, via the team’s website. “With Father’s Day merely hours away let me [say] … thank you to everyone and Happy Father’s Day, Dad. We love and miss you terribly.”
The 17-year-old Tyler, who accepted the honor on behalf of Steve McNair, recalled his father’s legacy as he recognized his many achievements both on and off the field. He extended his appreciation to family and friends, as well as the Titans organization.

“While he prided himself on being a country guy from Mississippi, the state of Tennessee, and especially the Nashville community, helped embrace him and us and made it easy for Nashville to become our home, too,’’ Tyler said.

“… The fans, if only you knew how much you meant to our dad. Our dad was once quoted saying, ‘I want No.9 to be known as someone who did everything humanly possible to win a ball game’, which is exactly what he did because he played through injuries, illnesses and sometimes even criticism simply because he loved his team and he loved his fans.”

Steve McNair, the No. 3 overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, played with the Oilers/Titans from 1995-2005 before spending his final two seasons with the Ravens. He guided the Titans to the organization’s only Super Bowl appearance in 2000.

Steve finished his career with 31,304 passing yards and 174 touchdowns, adding an additional 3,590 yards and 37 touchdowns on the ground. He retired in April 2008 and died on July 4, 2009, after being fatally shot by his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, in a murder–suicide.