Steve McNair stood in front of the Baltimore media Thursday, holding one side of a Ravens jersey bearing his name and signature No. 9.
Holding the other end of the jersey was general manager Ozzie Newsome, the man who completed the trade to bring the organization its best quarterback in franchise history.
“You gain an appreciation when you study a lot of tape and get a chance to compete against players. You know on Sundays, when we?re not playing, I?m a fan just like you are,” Newsome said at the team?s Owings Mills facility. “You can gain an appreciation for Steve McNair in his ability in critical times to make good plays, to make big-time plays. I?ve seen it happen against us and I?ve seen it happen against other teams.”
McNair looked relieved. The former co-NFL MVP and three-time Pro Bowler had been locked out of the Tennessee Titans facility for nearly two months after the team wanted McNair to restructure his $23.46 million-dollar paycheck this upcoming season, for salary cap purposes.
“It?s good to be here,” McNair said. “Finally, I feel like the drama is over. I?m here in a place that I feel like I?m very wanted, very welcome. It?s been an experience for the last month and half to get here, but I?m here. I?m very excited. I?m happy. My role for this team is do whatever I can to get this team over the hump and get back into the Super Bowl.”
The Ravens parted with a 2007 fourth-round pick to obtain McNair from the Titans. McNair signed a five-year contract to play for Baltimore. The team did not release full details of the contract.
Newsome stopped short of guaranteeing his team a return to the Super Bowl, after having won in 2001, but said McNair made the team better.
In an expected move, head coach Brian Billick declared McNair the team?s starting quarterback, replacing incumbent Kyle Boller.
“He is one of the elite quarterbacks in this game. His record speaks for itself. Clearly as our starter going in, Steve is going to add a dimension for us and this football team that we have not had since I have been here,” Billick said.
The acquisition of McNair should upgrade an offense that was ranked 24th in the NFL last season. The quarterback position in particular has been one most scrutinized during Billick?s previous seven seasons with the team.
