NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Fans turned out by the thousands Thursday, donning their Tennessee Titans gear or their finest clothes on a steamy hot day for the chance to honor slain ex-NFL quarterback Steve McNair’s accomplishments and charity work.
They lined up outside a funeral home to view the closed silvery-gray casket topped with white lilies next to a portrait of the former Titans star. A helicopter provided live TV footage as McNair’s body was taken by hearse to his church for a memorial service planned for Thursday night.
Jean Ryan got in line nearly two hours before doors opened at Mount Zion Baptist Church for a three-hour visitation to say goodbye to the man she had followed since the NFL team moved to town in 1997.
lled the “utter sadness.”
Titans owner Bud Adams, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, and many of McNair’s current and former teammates were expected to attend the memorial service. Derrick Mason, who played with McNair in both Tennessee and Baltimore, was scheduled to speak along with Titans coach Jeff Fisher.
Attorney Roger May, who represented McNair in his two drunk driving arrests, said he didn’t anticipate anyone from the McNair family making any statements Thursday. With people lined up on a hill beside the church behind him, the attorney said people responded to McNair.
“They not only respect what he did on the field but what he did in the community,” May said.
Church officials anticipated up to 5,500 attending the memorial service and opened up overflow areas for seating.
The Titans estimated approximately 9,000 people had visited LP Field, where fans could reminisce about his career, between Wednesday and midday Thursday. A couple of radio stations were broadcasting from the stadium where the shop had sold out all of its McNair merchandise except for a few children’s shirts.
Derrick Lewis said McNair “put the Titans on the map.”
Lewis, wearing a Titans jersey, said he and his family were devastated when they learned of McNair’s death. Police have said McNair, 36, was shot four times July 4 by a girlfriend who then killed herself in a condo McNair shared with a friend.
“Myself and my family were completely shocked and some of us were crying because you almost feel like you are related,” Lewis said.
But Lewis said the details of the killing haven’t changed his opinion of McNair.
“I will always remember him for the good things that he did for the community and the Tennessee Titans,” Lewis said. “Nobody’s perfect.”
Annetta Moore brought her grandson, Darrien James, 9, and granddaughter Olivia Cole, 11, to the funeral home and said she planned to take them to LP Field for another public memorial Thursday and visit his restaurant.
Moore said it wasn’t uncommon to see McNair hanging out around town.
“I think he just blended right in with everybody,” Moore said.
Loretta Lang said the details of the death should be a private family issue and shouldn’t take away from his charitable work.
“He’s definitely going to be missed because he gave back like many of the original Houston Oilers that became the Tennessee Titans,” she said after viewing the casket.
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Associated Press Writers Kristin M. Hall and Lucas L. Johnson II contributed to this report.
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