Titans rookies 'initiated', McNair visits

Titans veterans dunk rookie Chris Johnson during Wednesday's practice. Mike Strasinger for The City Paper

Former Titans quarterback Steve McNair made his first visit to Baptist Sports Park since the grievance hearing that came after the team locked him out in the summer before the 2006 season.

McNair, who splits time between Nashville and his native Mississippi, was in town to promote the Steve McNair Retirement Celebration, which is scheduled for Oct. 31 aboard the General Jackson Showboat. He announced his retirement in April.

“It’s the first time. I was scared to come through [the door],” McNair joked with the media on hand.

McNair, the Houston Oilers’ first-round pick in 1995, said he does not hold any ill feeling toward the Titans organization, which in effect locked him out of the facility after the 2005 season because the organization did not want to risk injury with McNair carrying a $23.4 million cap figure at the time.

McNair, 35, and agent Bus Cook filed a grievance against the club and won. McNair was eventually shipped to the Baltimore Ravens for a fourth-round pick and spent two seasons there before retiring in the spring.

“Personally, it wasn’t about burying the hatchet. I love the organization, but it was just a business move. You can’t mix personal things with business. It was a business decision. I accepted that, and we moved on,” McNair said. “They gave me an opportunity to play 11 years and take care of my family. I don’t have any animosity toward this organization, especially the coaching staff, because the coaching staff is just like family.”

McNair said he did not have the urge to unretire like his Mississippi friend Brett Favre, who was recently traded to the New York Jets.

Asked if he had the itch to play again, he replied, “I scratched mine. If I get the itch, I go ahead and scratch it. … Mentally, I could still go out and play the game, but my body just wasn’t able to. And I just didn’t want to come back because of that.”

McNair said he also stays in touch with current Titans quarterback Vince Young, who considers McNair his mentor.

“The thing about it is, you’ve got to take the good with the bad. You can’t get caught up in the good things, and you can’t get down about bad things,” McNair said of Young.

His advice to the growing pains of a young quarterback trying to evolve in the NFL were to stay patient and work hard. He believes Mike Heimerdinger, who helped transform his own career, can do the same for Young.

“I told him what Mike expects out of a player, and what you can expect out of Mike,” McNair said “Mike is a guy that is going to put you in good position to be successful. You just have to go out there and put your mindset to believe in what he’s trying to accomplish.”

Money raised will support the Steve McNair Foundation, the Charles Davis Foundation, the Mississippi Center for Autism and Related Development Disabilities and the Hope Foundation.

For ticket information on the event, all 228-255-8500.

MESSY DAY: While most of the Titans rookie went through the annual dizzy bat race initiation, two injured rookies who were unable to do so received a much worse treatment as their hazing.

Rookie receiver Lavelle Hawkins, out with a sprained ankle, and cornerback Cary Williams, nursing a sore quadriceps, found themselves taped to a light pole, courtesy of Keith Bulluck, Albert Haynesworth and Rob Bironas.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the veteran trio began spraying mustard, mayonnaise, honey, chocolate syrup, baby powder and flour on them, covering them in a nasty mess, just as a steady rain began to fall.

“I pretty much knew that was going to happen to me sooner or later. I knew I was going to get it the worst,” said Hawkins, who couldn’t break free of what he estimated were the 10 to 12 rolls of tape.

Bulluck explained that “We were trying to make a cake. Albert added the flour and the water. We didn’t have any eggs. We added the honey and the chocolate syrup, and Albert came out of left field with the ketchup, the mustard and the mayonnaise.”

Williams said the smell was the worst part.

“It had a disgusting, rank smell. It was nasty. It gets in your eyes and ears, and you just want to cry like a baby, but it’s all in good fun,” he said.

IMPROVING: If all goes well when he tests his right ankle on the field turf in the Georgia Dome, Roydell Williams could make his preseason debut for the Titans.

“It could be two or three series, or it could be four or five series. We’ll get him through the warm-ups and play him as long as we can,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.

Williams wants to try and push through the pain to play against the Falcons, if his ankle can stand running on the artificial surface.

“I don’t really know what it is, but I’m at the point right now, where I’ve just got to push through the pain and just get to that next level,” Williams said. “So far, it’s been working out well for me. Every day, I’ve been running better and cutting a little better. I’ve just got to continue working and progressing.”

Williams still runs sometimes with a noticeable limp in his gait.

“Man, when [the ankle] hurts, I’m limping out there. I’ll run a couple of plays, and it’ll hurt, and then I’ll sit out a couple of plays, and it’ll calm down, and I’ll go back out,” Williams said.

Williams said he had a similar injury at Tulane to his left ankle that also required surgery with a plate and screws. It forced him to redshirt his junior year for the Green Wave.

“I’ve been through an ankle injury before, so I kind of know the ends and outs. It’s a different ankle, but the same bone,” Williams said.

Fisher said the Titans decided against leaving Williams on the PUP list because they felt he would be back before the six-week period a player would have to spend on the list.

“We anticipated that he would be able to do things in training camp. He was one of our top receivers last year, and if you PUP him, then you don’t have him for six weeks.” Fisher said.

INJURIES: Several players will be held out of Friday’s game, including kicker Rob Bironas (groin), defensive back Chris Carr (shoulder), Bulluck (calf), Hawkins (ankle), tackle David Stewart (knee). Fisher did not list Cary Williams as definitely out, though he has not practiced all week.

Haynesworth (soreness) also missed a second straight day of work.

RETURNS: Chris Davis (Florida State) and newly signed Tuff Harris will split the punt return duties Friday night, while Chris Johnson will handle kickoffs.

Want to know how Harris got the nickname “Tuff?” He said it stems from when he had pneumonia as a baby. He nearly died several times and doctors had to continue to revive him. The doctor told Harris’ family that he was one “tough baby” and the nickname stuck.