McNair's Wife in Dark about Affair

(AP)  An associate said Wednesday the wife of ex-NFL quarterback Steve McNair didn't know about Sahel Kazemi before the 20-year-old woman shot her husband four times on the Fourth of July.

Mike Mu, who has worked with McNair's charitable foundation for years, said Mechelle McNair "didn't know who this girl is."

Mechelle McNair, who has not spoken publicly since the shooting, has been described by people close to her as being very upset and distraught. Agent Bus Cook said McNair's wife was "in and out" of it in the hours after the shooting.

Kazemi's family told reporters that the woman was so confident McNair was divorcing his wife of 12 years that she was preparing to sell her furniture and move in with the former quarterback.

Mu is handling media inquiries for Thursday night's memorial service in Nashville. A funeral service will be held Saturday in Mississippi.

The close friend who reported McNair's death to 911 defended his friend since their days playing football at Alcorn State to The Tennessean. Robert Gaddy, who did not immediately return a text message to his cell phone from The Associated Press on Wednesday, said the couple's Nashville home was on the market because they were looking for a new house.

"People need to quit talking about what they don't know. Mac never said anything to me about he was going to get a divorce, and ever since this has all happened everybody is trying to paint a certain picture and they need to talk about what they know," Gaddy told newspaper.

The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback was being remembered Wednesday at the stadium where he played much of his career. The Tennessee Titans opened LP Field for fans to watch video highlights of McNair's 13-year NFL career, look at photos of the quarterback and had a book for them to write messages that will be given to the family.

The McNairs married in 1997, and Mechelle is the mother of two of his four sons. She met McNair while both were students at Alcorn State, though she also studied nursing in Nashville and became a nurse while he played for the Titans.

Mechelle McNair tended his numerous injuries at home, changing bandages and even helping with intravenous fluids in 2001 when her husband needed I.V. antibiotics for an infection that developed after shoulder surgery.

[stupidfolks]

If I were his wife I wouldn't be making any funeral arrangement nor would I attend. Funerals are full of lies-ministers are low lives-always preaching about the good of a scumball

[TNisgoodenoughforme]

TBI just confirmed it was murder - suicide.

[denise_1900]

How could she be in the dark when he wasn't coming home at night?

[tomadams99]

Hey...where's old Al Sharpton and Jesse??? Not enough money in it for them? Air McNair was just misunderstood...right?

[bigmo47]

What in the hell are you talking about? Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have never gotten involved in domestic issues. McNair is the victim so why would he need defending. Oh I get it now, any story about a black man deserves a Sharpton comment. You sir are brilliant.

[TNisgoodenoughforme]

Jessie has spoken on this, it was in our local Nashville paper, but it was mainly to give support to the family.

[toldyouso29]

The 'mistress' was probably getting dumped by McNair--him having had his cake and eaten it too and was tired of that particular 'dessert'. Unfortunately for him and his family, his flavor of the month may have been an unstable fatal attraction who decided if she could not have him--no one would. Men watch your little members--they are beginning to destroy not only your lives and careers but your familiys' really, keep it zipped up and if you don't have any papers for it--don't 'break and enter' territory that you did not get a license for.

[shippg]

Yep, I agree with ffrecster. Just found out my husband had an affair of 2 years. The mistress thought he was going to divorce me, and she had divorced her own husband. She came to our house and begged my husband to come to his senses (and leave me). She was out of her mind to do this right in front of me. She was capable of anything.

[denise_1900]

How could you not have known your husband was unfaithful to you for two years? He was gone hours at a time, you didn't question him?

I'm curious.

[ffrecster]

If there is significant gunshot residue on the woman's hand(s) why can't they conclude murder/suicide? They need a woman putting the pieces together in this investigation. Where was the woman in her menstrual cycle? I'm sorry but that daamn cycle can wreak havoc on your emotional state. If she came to the realization he wasn't going to leave his wife she could have become distraught enough to kill him and kill herself. Did she buy the gun before her DUI arrest or after? The two events are linked in the sometimes fragile state of mind of a woman that has come to believe she can't live without a certain man. Those two events are likely what led up to the final shooting that ended both their lives.

[TNisgoodenoughforme]

She got the gun the day after the DUI according to local reports. This girl was bragging that the divorce would be final in 2 weeks. I think he admitted that he wasn't leaving Mechelle & lost it. She bragged that they where getting married & was going to look like the fool she was in front of family & friends.