Embrace debate: What’s the best Titans reference in hip-hop history?
Lil Wayne has a couple that come to mind: He name-checked Chris Johnson in “Popular” and Vince Young in “Dr. Carter.” Inspectah Deck name-checked Jevon Kearse on Wu-Tang Clan’s “Redbull.” Nas evoked Al Del Greco, of all people, on his song for the “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” soundtrack. And there’s that kid chasing Andre 3000 while wearing an Eddie George jersey in Outkast’s “B.o.B.” video.
For my money, the answer is “Hand Him The Heisman,” a swaggering relic from Steve McNair’s 1994 Heisman Trophy campaign at Alcorn State. The best, most quotable parts of the epic come when the M.C. has some choice words for McNair’s competition:
“Rashaan Salaam, can you throw a tight bomb?”
“Eric Zeier, is your name McNair?”
“In the Heisman race, look at Nebraska’s fate. Frazier’s out, so he can’t even participate.”
Look: It is the official position of this countdown that McNair should’ve won the 1994 Heisman. All respect to Salaam, McNair put up 571 yards per game. He accounted for more total offense in 11 games than Joe Burrow did in 15 games in his record-setting 2019 season at LSU.
Absolutely robbed.
Guess he had to settle for an NFL MVP nine years later.
And now, we release the Tennessee Titans’ 13th best moment, as ranked by The Tennessean.
McNair crafted the NFL equivalent of his Heisman moment on Dec. 21, 2003, at the Houston Texans. Playing through injuries (as always), McNair coughed up an early lead by throwing a 93-yard interception returned for touchdown and watched as the Titans fell behind 24-20 in the final two minutes.
Calm under pressure as ever, McNair led an eight-play, 75-yard drive, throwing for all 75 of them himself, in the span of 91 seconds. He finished the rally with a 23-yard strike to Drew Bennett in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-10 with 24 seconds left.
McNair threw to the end zone three plays in a row to end the drive, barely missing Justin McCareins on second and third down before connecting with Bennett, and clinching the Titans’ fourth playoff berth in five years in the process.
Hand him the MVP, I guess.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.