Where Are Steve McNair’s Sons Now? A Look at His 4 Kids' Lives After His 2009 Murder (2024)

Steve McNair left his mark on the NFL with a prolific career as a quarterback for over a decade, and away from the football field, he was also a father to four kids: Tyler, Trent, Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian.

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

McNair was a star from the start: He was a first round in the 1995 NFL Draft, helped the Tennessee Titans reach the 2000 Super Bowl and announced his retirement in 2008 after a 13-year illustrious run. However, McNair's life was tragically cut short. He died at the age of 36 from gunshots on July 4, 2009, in a murder-suicide. The incident involved Sahel "Jenni" Kazemi, a woman he was having an affair with.

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

“Happy birthday to my angel looking down on 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 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.

Tyler is a professional dancer

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] best, defenders,” the school’s coach, Hubie Smith, told The Tennessean in 2017.

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

"For almost a year, we tried to work on a schedule where I could do both and it never seemed to work out," Tyler told The Tennessean. "Eventually I just decided to just stick with dance because it was something that I thought about all the time.”

With the support of his mother, Mechelle, Tyler eventually left the court to become the first male dancer on Brentwood Academy’s dance team, according to The Tennessean. She recalled a dream he shared with her about McNair, "Tyler told me, 'I think my dad is OK 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 went on to graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in dance and a double minor in African American Studies and Fashion, per Zebedee Talent, the modeling agency that reps Tyler. In addition to modeling, he's now a choreographer and dancer, per his Instagram bio.

Trent plays college basketball

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

He has made strides on the team as a knockdown shooter for the Sailfish, according to his roster on the school's website, finishing second on the team with 40 steals and fourth on the team with nine blocks for the 2023-2024 season.

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

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

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

"The game, yeah, it was fun. But at that point it wasn't really important to me," Tyler said. "To me, it was about getting picked up at the end of the game by my dad, and him taking me into the locker room – that was the most exciting part to me.”

The dancer added that his dad’s career as an NFL quarterback was special because of how McNair actively included his family in the experience, making it something they all shared.

"He always included me and my brother and my mom, and wanted everything to be best for us," Tyler said. "I think that is why I have become such a loving person myself, because he was inclusive with everything he did. Those memories are really special."

Trent is also an aspiring artist

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 tracks on social media.

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

McNair’s older children are more private

McNair's older sons, Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian., whom he welcomed with two different women, live outside the spotlight.

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

While Steve Jr. and Steven O’Brian have not sought the spotlight, they continue to carry their father’s legacy in their own ways. However, there were reports of a miscommunication that resulted in the siblings not attending their dad's jersey retirement ceremony by the Tennessee Titans in 2019.

“We made all kinds of preparations to be there you know my brother has a family you know so it takes time to actually get everything together,” Steven O’Brian told WJTV at the time. “Just to realize that you know hey—we never received a phone call and we never received an invite.”

While Steven O'Brian admitted it was “emotional” not to be at the event, he still honored his father from a distance "for the hero that he was [and] for the incredible athlete that he was."