First and foremost, rest in power to the young quarterback god, Steve McNair, himself. The majority of football enthusiasts are aware that his life was cut short after his mistress fatally shot in a murder-suicide in July 2009. However, his tragic murder will never deny what he was able to do for the culture and sport of football. The highly-skilled quarterback was extremely dynamic and nimble for his 230lb frame and could match the precision of any quarterback he was going head-to-head with. McNair played his collegiate football at a Historically Black College in Alcorn State University from 1991 to 1994. McNair had the opportunity to ride a full scholarship at the University of Florida as a running back but opted to play for the Alcorn State Braves where he notched 16,823 total career yards and 122 passing touchdowns.
After taking the home the Walter Payton Award as a senior at Alcorn State in 1994, Steve McNair was drafted 3rd overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers where he would play eleven out of the thirteen seasons of his pro football career. During his time with the Oilers/Tennessee Titans, McNair would lead the Titans to four playoff berths and one Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. In 2003, McNair led the league in passer rating and took home the NFL MVP Award for his performance. After being able unable to lead the Titans to the glory land, McNair made his way to the Baltimore Ravens in 2005 where he would play two more seasons and retire in April 2008. The 3x Pro Bowler has since had his jersey number (9) retired by the Titans and will forever be remembered for his impeccable skill on the field.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."