NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Steve McNair used football as a diversion as long as he could. Now he's turning his attention to helping his family and friends survive Hurricane Katrina.

The Tennessee quarterback played three series Thursday night before heading to the bench in a 21-17 loss to t he Green Bay Packers. He said after the game that he was heading to his home in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Friday to make sure the people he loves really are OK.

"You get a lot of mixed emotion. The sad thing about it is that you get so frustrated because there is not communication. They can't communicate with you, and you can't communicate with them," McNair said.

"And when you do communicate, one is saying, `It's OK,' and the other is saying, `It's traumatizing.' So I just want to go and check on them myself. It will make me feel a lot better."

McNair teamed with Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre to fill a tractor-trailer with generators, water and food on Wednesday. Favre has a home near McNair's in Hattiesburg and had talked of going himself before apparently deciding against such a trip .

"We've got to have people down there to make sure everything is cleaned up and make sure everything's going to get back running on track," McNair said.

The quarterback offered Wednesday to send an autographed photo for every minimum donation of $100 to his foundation with plans to funnel the money to local charities in Mississippi.

He stepped up those plans Thursday by announcing a 12-hour relief drive for Tuesday in a parking lot at The Coliseum in Nashville. Ozburn Hessey Logistics, a supply and distribution company, says it will supply at least six tractor-trailers.

Safety Tank Williams, whose hometown is Bay St. Louis, Miss., defensive end Antwan Odom, from Bayou La Batre, Ala., and receiver Roydell Williams from New Orleans will be helping McNair to help fill the trucks with from cas h to shoes, clothing, bottled water and food.

The supplies will be meant for people in all three states hit hardest by Katrina.

"It's a relief for me and all my family members and my teammates to go out and do all we can to help those people in shelters and making them at least feel comfortable while they're there," McNair said.

McNair plans to return to Nashville by Sunday night because the Titans start preparing for their season opener against Pittsburgh on Monday.