Eagles trade McNabb to Redskins for draft picks
The Eagles traded quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a pair of draft picks. (Jan. 9, 2010) Credit: AP
Eagles coach Andy Reid said at the NFL owners meetings late last month that the team was listening to offers for quarterback Donovan McNabb, so it was not surprising to hear the news that McNabb had been traded Sunday night.
But McNabb was dealt to a division rival, and that is the real stunner.
The Eagles traded the 33-year-old McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a second-round pick in this year's draft and a conditional pick in 2011 that will be either a third- or fourth-rounder based on McNabb's performance this year.
"This was a very tough decision," Reid said. "McNabb represented everything a football player could be during his 11 seasons in Philadelphia."
"I'm really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins," McNabb said in a statement. "I'm eager to work with coach [Mike] Shanahan . . . While it's been my goal to win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia, we came up short. I enjoyed my 11 years here and we shared a lot more good times than bad."
Shanahan said of McNabb: "Donovan is an accomplished QB who has been a proven winner in the NFL. I have long admired his competitiveness."
Kevin Kolb, a former second-round pick with just two career starts, four touchdown passes and seven interceptions, will become the starter in Philadelphia. His backup will be Michael Vick, who returned last season after a two-year absence stemming from his guilty plea in an illegal dogfighting operation.
McNabb enjoyed a mostly successful career in Philadelphia. He led the Eagles to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season, but they lost to the New England Patriots. McNabb passed for 32,873 yards, 216 touchdowns and 100 interceptions, helping the Eagles become a perennial playoff team. He is their all-time leader in career wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns.
But he also was the subject of plenty of controversy, from a difficult relationship with volatile receiver Terrell Owens to his unwitting involvement in a controversy started by radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
With AP
