Hank Williams, Jr. wore Steve McNair's No. 9 jersey on Monday, in tribute to the slain Titans quarterback who was both his football hero and close personal friend.

"Everybody loved that guy," Hank Jr. tells The Boot of the football star. "He was my friend. He gave stuff to my kids ... I remember being at the airport, and there's little Katie and Sam (Hanks' daughter and son), and Steve comes over and says, 'Hi, who are you?' And they tell him, 'My daddy sings Monday Night Football.' Let's face it, a lot of those guys are jerks, but not Steve."

The 36-year-old McNair was found shot to death in his downtown Nashville condo on July 4. His alleged girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, was also found dead in the condo. Police have ruled McNair's death a homicide but have not yet ruled whether Kazemi was murdered or committed suicide. The gun found at the scene belonged to her.

Hank Jr., who celebrates 21 years of singing the theme for Monday Night Football this year, was relaxing on the porch of his cabin in West Tennessee Tuesday morning, reflecting on his friend's death and how it has shaken the NFL.

"I was sitting out there looking out over the pond, thinking about Steve and the Super Bowl and how my one year deal with Monday Night Football turned into 21 years. That turned into something good, so I've just got to look on the bright side."

McNair became the starting quarterback for the Oilers in 1997, the first year the team played in Tennessee. He remained with the team, which was renamed the Titans, until 2005, when he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. 'Air McNair,' as he was affectionately nicknamed, led the Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl and shared league MVP honors with Colts quarterback Peyton Manning that same year. After retiring in 2007, McNair, his wife and four sons settled back in Nashville, where the retired star was involved with numerous charities, including the Boys and Girls Club and his own Steve McNair Foundation, which helps underprivileged kids.

Despite the rumors of infidelity that surfaced with McNair's death, Hank Jr. chooses to remember him as a caring community advocate and gridiron great. Thus the No. 9 displayed so proudly on the country star's chest.

"I was going to have breakfast with (daughter) Hillary yesterday, and it just came to me to wear his jersey," says Hank. "Steve was a good guy, and we need to remember all the good things about him."