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.
They may be beautiful, rich and famous, but celebrities are human too, and that means they're just as prone to getting sick as the rest of us. And just like us, some celebs even live with chronic conditions that can take a toll on their day-to-day lives. But eczema – also referred to as dermatitis – is a common dry skin condition. Symptoms include dry, itchy, red and scaly skin. In more extreme cases, the skin can crust and bleed. According to the National Eczema Association, 1 in 10 individuals will develop eczema in their lifetime. And given these statistics, it’s hardly a surprise there are a few celebrities out there who have eczema too.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, 37, suffered from eczema in her teens. Kate was bullied heavily whilst attending Downe House girls’ boarding school, according to the Duchess’s friend Jessica Hay. According Hay, Middleton’s bullies made fun of her eczema. ‘It didn’t help that she was so tall and self-conscious about her eczema,’ Hay told CelebNow. Studies have shown children with moderate and extreme atopic dermatitis are more likely to suffer from conditions like anxiety and low self-esteem, which has a knock-on effect on their school work and ability to make friends.
Although Brad Pitt, 55, has not spoken about the issue himself, his co-star Cate Blanchett disclosed that Pitt was suffering from eczema during filming of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In an interview with Scotland’s Daily Record, the actress said, ‘We went through three weeks of make-up tests and he was covered in eczema from it all.’ Blanchett sweetly loaned Pitt her skin cream to deal with the dermatitis, that had developed due to the use of prosthetic makeup worn during filming. Prosthetic make-up isn’t the hugest concern for us non-Hollywood folk, nevertheless, what is a concern, is how makeup can trigger eczema flair up. Unless makeup brushes are constantly washed (let’s be real, they’re not), they become a breeding ground for bacteria. This can lead to clogged pores and irritated sensitive skin.
Adele, 31, stated that her eczema flared up when she became a new mom. During a press conference in 2013 after her Golden Globe win for Best Original Song for the Bond film Sykfall, the singer said: ‘I am exhausted. That’s how [motherhood] changed me. I have eczema from boiling bottles.’ Research carried out by the BMJ (formerly known as the British Medical Journal) has revealed that contact dermatitis has the potential to have ‘detrimental’ impact and in the worst case scenarios can even threaten some sufferers ability to work.