3:3 A New Skin

With all the talk of Donovan McNabb and how different it is to see him in a Redskins jersey and not an Eagles one, I thought I'd give the man his own space on the page. The biggest move of the offseason is Donovan McNabb leaving Philadelphia. The second biggest move is where he went. Washington of all places? A division rival? That's a head-scratcher for both Philly and Washington fans. After eleven years in Philadelphia, the eagle has found a new nest in the welcoming arms of a division rival. In Washington, he has found the fans give him he respect he never had.





Donovan McNabb was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1999 NFL Draft as a first round pick out of Syracuse University. When the Eagle's pick was announced, Eagles fans were furious and a choir of boo's filled the room. Unfortunately, the boo's would get louder and have never stopped for 11 straight years. Many in Philadelphia questioned his heart. In Week 11 of the 2002 season, McNabb suffered a broken ankle yet played through the pain until the game's end. If that's not heart, what is? Many in Philadelphia questioned his talent, but McNabb has set every major passing record in the Eagle's franchise history. The biggest Achilles Heel for McNabb is his performance in clutch situations. Few have brought their teams to five conference championship games, however many have won a Super Bowl. McNabb is only 1 for 5 in NFC Conference Champions, and that one was squandered by a Super Bowl loss. With that said, Donovan is still without question one of the greatest to play the game today.

McNabb grew up in Chicago, where he played football at Mt. Carmel High School and won a state championship in 1991. From high school, he moved on to Syracuse University to play quarterback under a football scholarship. He had much success in college and was named Offensive Player of the Year in the 1990's. In the 1999 NFL Draft, McNabb was the second overall draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was booed because the fans in Philly wanted running back Ricky Williams, a player who went on to have a career tainted by drugs. McNabb led the Eagles to the NFC Championship game four years in a row between 2001-2004, but didn't reach the Super Bowl until 2004. His performance in the Super Bowl was one of the best in history, but many accused McNabb of being tired in the big game. The Eagles went on to lose to the Patriots 21-24. He didn't return to the NFC Championship again until 2008, where the Eagles fell to the Arizona Cardinals 25-32. It has been a bitter career for McNabb in Philadelphia filled with close calls and missed opportunities only to lead to heartbreak and criticism. His trade to Washington in the 2010 offseason might be the best thing that ever happened to the weary veteran.

One thing that will be interesting to watch out for this year will be the development of the wide receivers in Washington. Much of McNabb's success will hinge on their production. If the receivers make strides towards improvement, McNabb will be fine, but if the passing game is shutdown due to poor receivers, it will be a long year for Donovan and Co.