Titans Still Treating Steve McNair Stupidly - Hearing Set For May 16th

McNair grievance to be heard May 16
QB's plea: Let me work out or cut me

By JIM WYATT
Staff Writer - The Tennesean


An arbitrator is scheduled to hear the NFL Players Association's grievance against the Titans on May 16, and the outcome could bring quarterback Steve McNair's playing future into focus a little sooner.

The NFLPA filed the grievance on behalf of McNair after the Titans barred him from working out at Baptist Sports Park last month.

If the arbitrator rules in McNair's favor, the Titans would have to let him work out at their facility or release him. Recently, the Titans have discussed trading McNair to the Ravens.

"It is a situation that cries out for fairness, and we define fairness as he's either a Tennessee Titan or he should be allowed to play with another team,'' NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen said Tuesday.

Arbitrator John Feerick is scheduled to hear the case on May 16, Berthelsen said. Cases are normally heard in the NFL team's city.

McNair is scheduled to make $9 million in base salary and count $23.46 million against the salary cap this season. The Titans want to lower those figures, but negotiations with Mc Nair's agent about a restructured contract have been stagnant for weeks.

The Titans asked McNair to train elsewhere because they would be liable for those amounts if he is injured on team property. The NFLPA considers that a breach of contract, Berthelsen said.

On Sunday the Titans gave McNair's agent, Bus Cook, permission to try to facilitate a trade with the Ravens, but the two sides couldn't agree on compensation. Indications are the Titans might be willing to wait until July to release McNair if they can't agree to a new contract or trade him by them.

Cook and the NFLPA say it's not fair to keep McNair in limbo.

"He has the right to be with the other players to prepare for the upcoming season, to get into football shape and get in a routine with the new receivers and young receivers on the club,'' Berthelsen said. "If they don't want to do that, then he should be able to go elsewhere.''

Titans General Manager Floyd Reese said Tuesday he's spoken with Cook since the end of the NFL Draft on Sunday and hopes to sit down with him at some point. As for a trade with the Ravens, little has changed since the two sides broke off talks Sunday, Reese said.

"The first thing we need to do is sit down with them, throw some thoughts out and see exactly where we are,'' Reese said. "The Baltimore thing, in my mind, is dead. I haven't talked to them in a few days so I assume it was a one-shot deal. Now could that change? Sure. We'll just have to see what happens." •