Titans to wear No. 9 decal in honor of McNair

The Tennessee Titans will honor slain former quarterback Steve McNair by wearing a No. 9 decal on their helmets this season, starting with this weekend's Hall of Fame Game against the Buffalo Bills.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Thursday the league found it appropriate to approve the team's 1¼-inch decal in memory of McNair, who was killed July 4. McNair played 11 seasons with the Titans and led the team to its only Super Bowl appearance.

McCarthy said Titans coaches and sideline personnel also will have the option to wear a No. 9 lapel pin.

The news first was reported by The Tennessean of Nashville.

The Titans had been discussing ways to remember and honor McNair, the winningest quarterback in the franchise's history at 81-59. Only Hall of Famer Warren Moon threw for more yards for the team than McNair. He also was co-MVP of the NFL in 2003, only the second player to be so honored in team history.

"We felt this was an appropriate way to honor Steve McNair and the contributions he made to our franchise," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a statement. "We have other things planned for our fans to honor him and the McNair family."

McNair retired in April 2008 after 13 NFL seasons, the last two with Baltimore.

The former quarterback was inducted into the Titans' Ring of Honor in October 2008, and fans have been running an online petition drive asking the team to retire his No. 9 jersey.

McNair, 36, was shot to death in a Nashville condominium by his girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, who then killed herself.