Quarterback Steve McNair is rehabilitating his shoulder every day, either at the Ravens training facility in Owings Mills or in his home state of Tennessee.

He has heard talk about his possible retirement and speculation that the Ravens might trade for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

McNair, 35, doesn't care about either. His only focus is getting completely healthy for this season, because he plans to return as the Ravens' starting quarterback.

"Being a competitor, I understand that people are always going to put something, some name out there," McNair said in his first public statements since the end of last season. "I'm not into speculation, I'm into reality. If it happens, then I'll deal with it.

"But as of right now, my only focus is getting my shoulder ready for the season. I have confidence in myself and in my teammates. If I didn't, I would not come back."

McNair tore the rotator cuff in his non-throwing shoulder during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 11. During the two-hour surgery that followed, McNair said doctors also discovered torn biceps in his left arm.

He said his shoulder is almost 100 percent. He has nearly full range of motion.

"It's just a little weak, but otherwise, it feels good," he said.

McNair seemed excited about this season, which would be his 14th in the league. His voice was strong with confidence, much like the McNair of 2006, and far from the McNair of 2007, who was shaken from injuries and a losing season.

He played in only six games last season. He suffered a major groin injury on the Ravens' first play of the regular season, then hurt his back trying to compensate for that injury.

Each game, he was taped up like a mummy, wearing a flotation device. He completed only 133 of 205 passes for 1,113 yards and had 11 turnovers, seven of which were lost fumbles.

By halftime of the Nov. 11 game, even an old warrior like McNair decided he had had enough.

"The injuries were compounded because they kept coming back-to-back-to-back," McNair said. "I knew I wasn't playing to the best of my abilities, but I thought I could play through it and still help the team. But I really was hurting the team. I wasn't concentrating on the things I needed to work on to cut down on those turnovers."

McNair said he started reflecting on 2007 shortly after the season ended. He can't remember a season when so many fellow starters missed substantial playing time because of injuries.

McNair was also caught off guard by the firing of coach Brian Billick.

"Earlier in the season, they said he would be back with the organization, and then at the end of the season, we're in the locker room at a team meeting and - boom - he's fired," McNair said.

"We learned a lot from last season. We went from 13-3 to 5-11, but we fought hard. Nobody gave up. That character will show up again this season. It just added to our confidence. Every year is a different year, and last year added fuel to our fire."

McNair has met several times with Cam Cameron, the team's new offensive coordinator, and the sixth in McNair's career.

McNair won't have the same problems adjusting to the offense that he had two years ago, when the Ravens traded for him late in the offseason.

McNair will have time to practice Cameron's offense in several minicamps before training camp.

Two years ago, he had virtually no time. The major adjustment is the terminology.

"I know he [Cameron] is a very talented, offensive-minded guy. Talking to people around the league, they say he puts his guys in their best positions to make plays," McNair said. "Sometimes, change is good. You need fresh people and fresh ideals.

"We're starting from ground zero again. It's a new start for everybody. What we have to do is learn the offense and show that we believe in him and what he is teaching."

The fresh start has all the players buzzing, but is it enough to rejuvenate McNair? We've seen two sides of him in Baltimore.

In 2006, he was the McNair of old, the poised veteran, tough-guy leader and former Most Valuable Player who put some pizazz into the offense. Last season, he took a beating and looked old and tired.

But the negative criticism inspires McNair. He can't wait to return.

"Old, yep. They said the same thing about John Elway and then he went on to win two championships after he got old," McNair said. "Look at Brett Favre. They said he was old, and he came back and did what he did this year. I still think I can play at a high level, and I think we're still going to be a very good football team again."

mike.preston@baltsun.com