Where Are Steve McNair’s Sons Now? A Look at His 4 Kids' Lives After His 2009 Murder

Steve McNair left his mark in the NFL with a fruitful career as a quarterback for more than a decade, and off the football field he was also the father of four children: Tyler, Trent, Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian.

After McNair met his wife, Mechelle McNair, at Alcorn State University, they married in 1997 and had two children together: Tyler (pronounced he/they) and Trent. McNair also greeted his sons Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian Koran during previous relationships.

McNair was a star from the start: He was a first-round pick in the 1995 NFL draft, helped the Tennessee Titans reach the Super Bowl in 2000, and announced his retirement in 2008 after a 13-year illustrious streak. However, McNair’s life was tragically cut short. He died at the age of 36 from a gunshot wound on July 4, 2009 in a murder-suicide. The incident involved Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi, a woman he was in a relationship with.

McNair’s sudden death rocked the sports world and left a lasting impact on his family, teammates and fans. Over the years, each of his children have taken different paths, some following in their father’s athletic footsteps, while others have pursued their own unique passions. All the while, they continue to remember McNair fondly.

“Happy birthday to my angel who watches over me,” Tyler wrote in a heartfelt tribute to his dad on Instagram in February 2018.

So where are Steve McNair’s kids now? Here’s everything you need to know about the late NFL star’s children — Tyler, Trent, Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian – and how they continue to honor his legacy.

Who Killed Steve McNair? The details behind the 2009 murder-suicide that rocked the NFL

Tyler is a professional dancer

Tyler McNair, Steve McNair’s child.

Tyler McNair/Instagram

Tyler, McNair’s first child with Mechelle, initially followed his father’s path as an athlete, playing basketball at Brentwood Academy, where he was “the best, if not one of [the team’s] the best, defenders,” said the school’s coach, Hubie Smith Tennessean in 2017.

Despite being a natural at the sport, Tyler found himself increasingly drawn to dance and struggled with the decision to continue playing basketball or focus on their main interest elsewhere. In the end, he realized his passion on the dance floor.

“For almost a year we tried to work a schedule where I could do both, but it never seemed to work,” Tyler said. Tennessean. “In the end, I just decided to stick with dance because it was something I was thinking about all the time.”

With the support of his mother, Mechelle, Tyler eventually left the court and became the first male dancer on the Brentwood Academy dance team, according to Tennessean. She recalled a dream he shared with her about McNair, “Tyler said to me, ‘I think my dad is okay with my dancing and he would still be proud of me.’ ”

“His dad would say if they ever wanted to do something other than sports, let them do it,” Mechelle continued. “A lot of people will make them play basketball or football because they’re athletes. It’s not fun if they’re doing something they don’t want to do.”

Tyler graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance and a double minor in African American Studies and Fashion, according to Zebedee Talent, the modeling agency that represents Tyler. In addition to modeling, he is now a choreographer and dancer, according to his Instagram bio.

Trent plays college basketball

Steve McNair’s child Trent McNair.

Trent McNair/Instagram

Trent, whose full name is Trenton, shares his father’s athletic prowess, currently playing basketball at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

He made strides on the team as a knockdown shooter for the Sailfish, finishing second on the team with 40 steals and fourth on the team with nine blocks for the 2023-24 season, according to his roster on the school’s website.

“I just want to be the best I can be, the best team player I can be,” Trent told Prehoops 2021, while still in high school. “At the same time to show the ability that God gave me.”

Tyler has fond memories of McNair’s time on the Titans

Steve McNair’s children Trent and Tyler McNair before the NFL football game between the Titans and the Baltimore Ravens on November 5, 2017.

Wade Payne/AP

Tyler, who was just 10 when their father died, told Titans Online in 2017 that the stadium where McNair played still holds sentimental value and brings back fond memories.

“The game, yeah, it was fun. But it didn’t really matter to me at that point,” Tyler said. “For me, it was about my dad picking me up at the end of the game and taking me to the locker room – that was the most exciting part for me.”

Dancer added that his father’s career as an NFL quarterback was special because McNair actively involved his family in the experience, making it something they all shared.

He always included me, my brother and my mom, and he wanted everything to be the best for us, Tyler said. “I think that made me a loving person myself, because he was inclusive in everything he did. Those memories are really special.”

Trent is also an artist on the rise

In addition to his basketball career, Trent is an aspiring music artist who uploads his songs on SoundCloud under the stage name Ťmač and shares his new songs on social media.

His songs range in hip-hop, rap and R&B soul genres.

McNair’s older children are more private

Steve McNair #9 throws down the field during first half action on December 18, 2005.

Joe Murphy/NFLPhotoLibrary/Getty

McNair’s older sons, Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian., whom he met with two different women, live out of the limelight.

Steve Jr. was a high school football star like his father, playing wide receiver at Oak Grove High School at the time of his father’s death, according to Tennessean. His younger brother, Steven O’Brian, was 15 at the time of his father’s death and has also remained out of the public eye.

Although Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian didn’t seek the spotlight, they continue to carry on their father’s legacy in their own way. However, there were reports of a miscommunication that led to the siblings not attending their father’s jersey retirement ceremony by the Tennessee Titans in 2019.

“We’ve made all kinds of preparations to be there, you know my brother has family you know, so it takes time to put everything together,” Steven O’Brian told WJTV at the time. “Just so I know you know hey – we never got a phone call and we never got an invitation.”

While Steven O’Brian admitted it was “emotional” not to attend the event, he paid tribute to his father from afar “for the hero he was [and] for the incredible athlete he was.”

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Source: HIS Education