McNabb Trade a Win-Win for Donovan & Eagles

McNabb Trade a Win-Win for Donovan & Eagles

Only time will tell but it looks like Easter Sunday’s blockbuster trade with the Washington Redskins is a big Win-Win for both Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles.

After 11 eventful years, it’s a well-deserved fresh start for both No. 5 and the Birds. Unquestionably, both the quarterback and the team needed a change after repeatedly coming ever so close to a Super Bowl championship.

Regrettably, Donovan will be remembered by most fans primarily for his failure to win The Big Game, whether it was Super Bowl XXIX against the New England Patriots or the other four NFC championship contests against the St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, and Arizona Cardinals.

That’s unfortunate because McNabb’s legacy encompasses one of the greatest careers ever enjoyed by a Philadelphia athlete in any professional sport. Just think for a moment: how many other cities would be absolutely overjoyed to have a quarterback lead their team to five NFC championship games in the space of eight years? Hopefully Donovan’s accomplishments will be recognized some day by his induction into the Pro Football of Fame wearing Eagles Green.

In addition to establishing all-time Eagles’ franchise records for a quarterback in every meaningful statistical category—including, among others, 148 games, 32,873 passing yards, 2,801 completions, and 216 touchdowns—Mc Nabb provided fans with a host of unforgettable highlight reel moments. Who will ever forget the magical “4th and 26 completion that helped the Birds edge the Green Bay Packers to advance in the 2004 NFC divisional playoffs. Or his courageous performance in 2002 when he threw for four TDS against Arizona playing the entire game on a fractured right ankle. The list goes on and on.

And even more impressive: unlike too many athletes these days, McNabb embodies all of the admirable qualities that fans prefer in their sports stars. In addition to consistently being accessible and cooperative with the media, he is a class guy, solid citizen, good family man, a generous philanthropist, etc., etc.

And yet, as Ray Didinger, my co-author of The Eagles Encyclopedia, put it: McNabb was respected by the Philadelphia fans, but not really loved. He was never really embraced by the fans of this city like some of his teammates; Brian Dawkins, for example.

So let the Kevin Kolb era begin, hopefully, somehow, sometime climaxed with the successful acquisition of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

As for the Redskins, here again, only time will tell but one thing’s for sure—Washington took a huge step up in class on Easter Sunday.