McNabb a Hall of Famer?
A discussion of Donovan McNabb and the Hall of Fame.
McNabb a Hall of Famer?
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Interesting conversation this morning on “Mike and Mike” on ESPN. Mike Greenberg was saying that Donovan McNabb is definitely a Hall of Fame quarterback right now. Mike Golic said he is close, knocking on the door, but not quite there.
Michael Barkann asked me the same question Monday night on “Daily News Live.” What I said, boiled down, is this: I think McNabb is the best quarterback in the history of the franchise but that it’s really hard to get into the Hall of Fame without winning a Super Bowl, that you really need superior stats if you are going to get in without winning and that McNabb’s aren’t at that level.
(I also said that Phil Simms, who won a Super Bowl, says he wouldn’t put himself into the Hall of Fame and that McNabb is in a similar statistical boat. I was wrong there. They played in very different philosophical systems but McNabb’s stats are much better.)
Anyway, on “Mike and Mike,” they compared his stats to those of Troy Aikman and Steve Young. There are a million stats out there, and I have picked out a handful. They reflect my personal measures of what I think is important if you are going to make a stat argument. Anyway:
Aikman…3 SB wins…5 10-win seasons…81.6 QB rating…1.17 TD/Int.
Young…1 SB win…5 10-win seasons…96.8 QB rating…2.17 TD/Int.
McNabb…0 SB wins…4 10-win seasons…85.9 QB rating…2.16 TD/Int.
When you look at it, Aikman is in because of the Super Bowls and I would vote for him every time. If you compare Young and McNabb – who always have been an interesting stylistic match as well – they are very similar players. Young completed a higher percentage of his passes. Young also had a much higher yards-per-attempt – a very instructive stat, but some of which was because he played with great receivers for longer than McNabb did.
They are very, very similar. There are differences, yes, but the biggest difference is the Super Bowl, which is what I said on DNL. You can like it or hate it but that’s just the way the system works.
It’s really a fascinating topic. McNabb is a fascinating player. Because he is the best quarterback the Eagles have ever had, and he also is a guy who was terrible in the middle of this season and played badly enough to get benched (even if Kevin Kolb against the Ravens was not a better option). I don’t think those are inconsistent positions, either. I think they reflect the facts at hand.
In the post-season, the stats have been unremarkable but McNabb has really played well, just commanding the important moments of the game. That’s kind of a nebulous concept, not all that measurable, except by the final score.
And in the end, that is how NFL quarterbacks are measured: by the final score.
If Jim Kelly is a HOF QB then McNabb is a HOF QB. For those of you who think Donovan is the cause for not winning a SB then you have no idea about the sport of football.— philphan
Let's look at some league AP MVP QBs since 1984: Dan Marino (1), John Elway (1), Boomer Esiason (1), Joe Montana (2), Steve Young (2), Brett Favre (3), Kurt Warner (2), Rich Gannon (1), Peyton Manning (3), Tom Brady (1). Randall Cunningham got the award in 1990 by the Pro Football Writers and in 1998 by the Players Association. McNabb has never gotten the award from anyone. Aikman must have gotten in for his 3 SBs and SB MVP. Brady has 2 SB MVPs. There is a better chance, at this point, for Cunningham to get in than McNabb, and that is not likely. McNabb can seal his fate if he gets two SBs with at least one SB MVP, or a SB and an AP MVP. Otherwise, there will be a debate.- he wins a s.b, he's in as simple as that dopes.— theanswer80
- I must have missed something. Did McNabb suffer a career ending injury last Sunday or in practice? Did he hold a press conference to announce his retirement rather than play for a chance at another Super Bowl appearance? If not, then - as mentioned by prior posters - this question is outrageously premature. Isn't there a big game this Sunday? GO EAGLES. Beat the Cardinals. I can remember when the St. Louis Cardinals always gave the Eagles a tough game. It still holds true. The team, coaches, fans and press need to stay focused on the Cardinals. Overlooking them (by presuming there are more interesting things to write about than the match ups) is a mistake! "Just whupp the man in front of ya!" - Axeman.— Phrossty
- Right or wrong, the events of the next few weeks will cement McNabb's legacy. If the Birds somehow win the Super Bowl, he will go down as probably the third best QB of the era, with a ridiculously good record (throwing out the injured middle years). If the Birds lose, and he performs poorly or even averagely, he will remain on the bubble, especially in our fair city. A complete Elway situation; one win will change everything. Here's hoping...— mjb
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- Definite hall of famer, especially when you throw in his rushing stats for earlier year.— Leron
- McNabb is not a HOF. His performance in the Superbowl against the Pats sealed that. HOF don't hyperventilate in championship games. Even if he finds a way to beat Pittsburgh or Baltimore I wouldn't put him in. Too many failures in NFC Championship games. I'll agree he hasn't had much to work with and some of it is Reid's play calling. Not getting the plays in on time. Steve Young was a phenomenal QB, more accurate than McNabb. Simply put I think Young beats the Pats and we are sitting here with a ring going for a second championship.— Drew777
- If he wins bowl this yr, he leapfrogs Favre in my opinion. 2 sb and 1 loss in each. Then McNabb has more champ gms and way less INT's. But this is the almighty Brett Favre were talking about here, nobody s better than him, untouchable, ha— peteike
- Coach1456, 1st, Rush Limbaugh doesn't know a thing about football. 2nd, if McNabb's stats are inflated, then so are Steve Young's, Joe Montana's and Brett Favre's because they played in the same system. Add Peyton Manning and Dan Marino to that list because they also have been in a pass-first offense. 3rd, of all the QB's I mentioned, each one had at least one Pro-Bowl, if not HOF receiver. Last, if McNabb gets in the SB and wins, he will have been about as successful as Brett Favre. One last thought, during the Eagles' resurgence, the players commented on the solid leadership of BOTH B-Dawk and McNabb.— jayheezy
- Comment removed.
- I think it all comes down to if he gets the win in the Super Bowl. He is the best QB to have played with fewest all pro WRs, just 1 season, and that has to be considered. That said, his play this year in the playoffs has been HOF worthy, against good defenses he did what he had to do with the game on the line, and that's what counts. If he does that 2 more times he'll get his SB ring and the HOF stamp.— matt g
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
