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Titans lose starting QB Back surgery to keep McNair out five games
Posted: Saturday September 18, 1999 03:07 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Steve McNair will undergo back surgery Sunday to repair a ruptured disc and will be out of the lineup for six weeks. Veteran Neil O'Donnell, signed as a free agent just before training camp, will start Sunday for Tennessee (1-0) against the visiting Cleveland Browns (0-1). McNair flew Saturday to Los Angeles where Dr. Robert Watkins will perform the procedure at University Hospital at the University of Southern California. "Steve's message to his teammates was that he's sorry," coach Jeff Fisher said Saturday. "That shows exactly what Steve's about, he feels like he let them down." McNair missed two weeks of practice during training camp and two exhibitions with spasms and stiffness in his back, and the team treated McNair's back with injections and exercises. He rebounded to throw for a career-high 341 yards in the Titans' season-opening victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. In that game, he tied his career-high with three touchdown passes and rallied Tennessee for the 36-35 victory with 10 points in the final minutes. McNair sat out Thursday's practice when he woke up with more spasms and stiffness. He returned to practice Friday when the injury apparently occurred. A battery of tests that evening revealed the damage, which will be repaired with a procedure called a micro-discectomy. Watkins previously has operated on the backs of NFL quarterbacks Joe Montana and Troy Aikman. McNair is expected to spend several days recuperating in Los Angeles before returning to Nashville later this week. His rehabilitation will begin almost immediately. McNair had played through a variety of injuries as Tennessee's starter the past two seasons, but his streak of 34 consecutive starts -- the fourth-longest current streak among NFL quarterbacks -- will end. He also will miss games on the road against Jacksonville on Sept. 25 and San Francisco Oct. 3, at home against Baltimore on Oct. 10 and a visit to New Orleans on Oct. 17. The Titans' bye is Oct. 24, which could allow McNair to return to the lineup Oct. 31 against the St. Louis Rams. "Injuries are part of the game and you have to go on," Fisher said. "The unfortunate part is that it occurred after his career game. Obviously he was off to a great start."
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