NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The hit Steve McNair took to his chest in September 2000 had the NFL quarterback ready to quit the game. It caused him so much pain he spent a bye weekend with the team’s former chaplain in Houston. Then McNair, who struggled to breathe, watched his backup knocked out of the Titans’ next game.

“He turned and looked at me and winked,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher recalled Thursday night at a memorial service for the slain quarterback. “He grabbed a ball, threw it twice and ran on the field. Four plays later, he throws a touchdown pass to Erron Kinney and we win by three points.”

Fisher said he caught up to McNair walking off the field that day in Pittsburgh and started to talk when the quarterback interrupted and pointed to the sky.

“No more turf toe, no more sacks. No more shoulder problems, and no more interceptions, only touchdown passes. I’m going to miss you No. 9,” Fisher said.

McNair’s wife and family, friends, former teammates and coaches gathered Thursday night along with thousands of fans to remember his accomplishments on and off the field.

Fans lined up starting Thursday morning to view McNair’s closed silvery-gray casket at a funeral home and later outside the church. A helicopter provided live TV footage as McNair’s body was moved by hearse, and three of four local TV stations showed the memorial service live.