42 Athletes That Died Before 40

NBA | February 16, 2021

Steve McNair

Steve McNair’s premature death can be counted as one of the saddest ends of an NFL player. McNair was a star quarterback who won the NFL MVP award in 2003, took the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl, and amassed 31,000 passing yards and 200 total touchdowns in a 13-year pro career. 

McNair retired in 2008, and his life after football was just starting to take off when tragedy struck. In 2009, McNair, who was only 36, was murdered by a woman with whom he was involved. After killing McNair, the woman then took her own life.