FanHouse

The days of the fat quarterback appear to be numbered: first Jared Lorenzen is replaced by that dreamboat, Mittens Carr, and now Steve McNair up and retires. The obvious reason for McNair calling it quits is because he's been beaten to a pulp for 13 consecutive seasons, but the decision may have more to do with his weight than his health.

According to the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston, the oft-injured 35-year-old had every intention of coming back for 2008, but new head coach and resident hard-ass John Harbaugh might've had other ideas. Indirectly, anyway:

Harbaugh scheduled minicamps almost every other week throughout the summer. He wanted regular attendance by players during the offseason weight-lifting program. He wanted McNair to lose weight because he had ballooned to 250 pounds since the season ended.

There is a new work ethic on the Ravens, and McNair basically said yesterday, thanks, but no thanks.

McNair has never been known as a practice guy, but one Titans coach told Preston that "there is not one player in the league I'd rather have on my team on Sundays. That's when he puts on the Superman cape." Which, apparently, needs to be let out a little in the neck.

It's hard to blame Harbaugh for doing exactly the opposite of what ultimately got Brian Billick fired. And if toughening up minicamps and training camps gets the team a little younger in the process, well, that's not all bad either. Derrick Mason, Samari Rolle and Trevor Pryce probably disagree.