Thursday, September 14
McNair to rest during Titans' bye week



NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Steve McNair finally can take a deep breath without pain shooting through his sore chest. He also can sleep. Whether he will miss a game remains to be seen.

The Tennessee Titans quarterback attended his first practice Thursday since being sent to the hospital for two nights last weekend after being hit by Kansas City's Duane Clemons. The Titans (1-1) have a bye this weekend, then travel to Pittsburgh on Sept. 24.

He will spend the team's bye weekend at home, resting with a bag of ice on his chest.

"That's the main thing. I just need to rest it," McNair said. "I'm not doing anything on it right now."

When he returns Monday, McNair will try again to see if the soreness has eased enough to let him throw and run.

"He's a tough guy, and he's come back and played through some very difficult situations," coach Jeff Fisher said of McNair. "I'm not counting him out. We have to see how he is physically and how he's able to execute next week."

McNair was scrambling when he was headed in the chest by Clemons. McNair has watched repeated replays and calls it a good hit.

He didn't realize he was hurt until he struggled to breathe while jogging to the sideline.

The biggest problem for McNair may not be physical. The quarterback had entered the season completely healthy for the first time in nearly three years after having a bone spur removed from his left foot in February.

"It's frustrating mentally for me to just get off an injury. Now I've got another one. That's the mental aspect I've got to overcome," he said.




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