A new Netflix documentary, “Untold: The Murder of Air McNair”, revisits the life and tragic death of NFL star Steve McNair. Named a Heisman Trophy finalist, McNair became the third pick in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played for the Oilers, now Tennessee Titans, and the Baltimore Ravens for 13 seasons, and led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV. His football exploits earned him numerous accolades, such as being named co-MVP in 2003, and inductions into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2012, and College Football Hall of Fame in 2020. However, the questions regarding his murder in 2009 have never truly been answered.
The documentary explores the officially accepted narrative of McNair’s murder. He was allegedly shot and killed by his 20-year-old mistress, Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi, who then reportedly ended her own life next to him. Financial problems and McNair’s additional affairs were supposedly the motives behind the crime. However, there are other theories. For example, former Nashville police officer Vincent Hill noticed discrepancies in the investigation and penned a book on the issue. Adrian Gilliam, a convicted felon who sold the murder weapon to Kazemi, also had questions surrounding him.
Evidence and witness accounts further complicate the story. Wayne Neely, a friend of McNair, found the bodies and is captured in the film offering money to detectives, but his reasons behind this were never explained. Another friend and former teammate, Robert Gaddy, mentioned a $13,000 dispute over a business venture with McNair. Despite strained relations, Gaddy expressed remorse for potentially not being able to help the ex-star. Gaddy was also burdened by conspiracy theories suggesting his involvement in the murder.
Jeff Fisher, McNair’s coach at Tennessee, commented in the film that certain details about McNair’s demise were puzzling. He also hinted at the possibility that there could be more to McNair’s life after football. These potentially revealing aspects were largely overshadowed by McNair’s football career in the documentary.
The film introduces Leah Ignagni, who was reportedly seeing McNair before his death. Even though Ignagni’s relationship with McNair brings a new angle, it does little to highlight McNair’s post-football life. McNair’s widow, Mechelle, also shared her knowledge of her husband’s infidelity, but stated she was not aware of his relationship with Kazami.
In conclusion, “Untold: The Murder of Air McNair” brings back the specter of the NFL star’s unfortunate demise while leaving several questions unanswered. Regardless of these mysteries, McNair’s fondly remembered off the pitch as well, illustrating the close ties he’d managed to maintain with the Nashville community post-retirement. However, there’s noticeably less information about McNair’s personal life or Kazemi’s story. The documentary could perhaps have done better by leaving McNair’s football legacy untouched and delving more into the circumstances of his tragic death.
