McNair Is Out for the Season
Steve McNair will undergo surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season. He played in just six games this season.
(By Chris Mcgrath -- Getty Images)
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Tuesday, December 4, 2007
BALTIMORE, Dec. 3 -- The Baltimore Ravens placed quarterback Steve McNair on injured reserve Monday, ending a frustrating season for the 13-year veteran. He will undergo surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder Tuesday to repair a partially torn rotator cuff.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Kyle Boller started against the New England Patriots on Monday night. Rookie Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner, is the only other quarterback on Baltimore's roster. Smith has yet to appear in a game this season.
Injuries limited McNair to six games this season, his lowest total since his rookie season (four games). He injured his groin during the first series of the season opener, which caused him to miss the next game. He returned to make three starts, then aggravated his back.
The Ravens opted to rest McNair during the sixth and seventh weeks of the season, in the hopes that he would be healthy enough to lead Baltimore during the second half of the season. But he played in just two more games, and then suffered a partially dislocated left shoulder in a 21-7 loss to Cincinnati on Nov. 11. He hadn't played or practiced since.
This has been a trying season for McNair, a four-time Pro Bowler. One year after leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record and the AFC North title, McNair struggled. He threw just two touchdown passes and committed 11 turnovers (four interceptions and seven lost fumbles).
In what turned out to be his final two games of the season -- losses to division rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati -- McNair turned over the ball five times and led the Ravens inside the 20-yard line once. He was booed by the home crowd against the Bengals.
The following week, Coach Brian Billick was asked if he thought that McNair, who signed a five-year contract in June 2006, would start for the Ravens again.
"That's a question I really can't answer," Billick said. "Only time will tell that. I know that my admiration for Steve McNair, the champion he's been, the toughness, the professionalism, is something that I will continue to value."
In McNair's place, the Ravens signed place kicker Rhys Lloyd to the active roster from the practice squad. Lloyd, however, was inactive for Monday's game.
