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Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Eagles and Donovan McNabb have agreed on a deal that will restructure the final two years of the quarterback's contract, a league source said tonight. The team has now confirmed the deal.

Details of the restructure were not immediately available, but the source said McNabb received a bump in pay with a portion of the money guaranteed.

McNabb, who is entering the 11th season as the team's quarterback, had been scheduled to make $9.2 million this season and $10 million next season as part of a contract that he signed in 2002.

"We are thrilled that this all worked out," Eagles president Joe Banner said in a statement. "He is a great football player, a great person and someone who gives back to the community. We are lucky to have him in Philadelphia."

Added coach Andy Reid: "The Philadelphia Eagles organization and the entire city of Philadelphia are fortunate to have a quarterback the caliber of Donovan McNabb. He has proven himself to be a talented player on the field, a caring member of the Philadelphia community and a winner."

Reid and McNabb are scheduled to meet with the media tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.

Four days after being benched in a game against the Baltimore Ravens last season, McNabb led the Eagles to a Thanksgiving night victory over the Arizona Cardinals and said afterward that there were some things he wanted to discuss with Reid and Banner.

McNabb, honored tonight as the Father of the Year by the American Diabetes Association of Greater Philadelphia, never did specify exactly what he wanted to discuss, but he admitted shortly after the season that he wanted to discuss his contract.

Reid was asked about McNabb's contract today after the Eagles completed their final offseason camp at the NovaCare Complex.

"I stay away from the contract things," Reid said. "We'll see how things go down the road here. I think everybody knows we are very honored to have Donovan here."

Reid said he hasn't noticed any change in the way McNabb has gone about his business in this camp.

"He's been no different ...," Reid said. "I'd like to make it a little more dramatic than that, but he's out there messing around with everybody and when he's in doing the offense, he's cranking it and being serious and knocking out the things he needs to knock out. It's really no different. He seems happy, if that matters. He seems to be in a great place right now, but I can't say I haven't seen that before."

Posted by Bob Brookover @ 10:13 PM  Permalink | 49 comments
49
Comments   
Posted 11:56 AM, 06/12/2009
tpizza
woof, your "move to the back Donovan" remark was a terribly racist, low class slam. What's next, watermelon jokes? You should be ashamed, racist that you are.
Posted 11:48 AM, 06/12/2009
tpizza
Once again woof, it's 10 years not 11. It isn't bad enough you are a mope, you are an inaccurate mope.
Posted 10:50 AM, 06/12/2009
Panthro22
Say what? 5isaQueen is giving his dear heart Donovan to another?? Are you tired of McBoner poking you in the rear with his big (cash) wad?? Maybe not since you are always talking about somebody getting it in the end. Your favorite spot?
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Posted 05:37 AM, 06/12/2009
The Marco Islander
McSmall has no more excuses. The weapons are there. No more ground balls at the receivers feet or latters to climb for balls way over their heads. The time is NOW for McSmall. They should have done this for DAWK, the real heart and soul of the Eagles.
Posted 04:43 AM, 06/12/2009
Dierte
I love McNabb just as much as the next person on here does, but this kind of baffles me. Is he the best we got, without a doubt, is he the best we can have, yes. But they gave him a HUGE raise. Now that puts even more pressure on him, I would have like them to use that money to sign more weapons for him to get a Championship. People rip the front office on the way they spend their money, and this might be a reason why. However, aintezbeinggreen is right, they did this for McNabb's sake to guarantee he will be here the remaining two years. The guy has done more than anybody in this organization, he deserves job stability. Let's just hope this brings a Super Bowl!!
Posted 02:14 AM, 06/12/2009
jtj06
didderbops, the Eagles internal poll stinks to anyone who knows polls. It doesn't say anything about how the city feels, its the vast majority of "avid fans". How do they define "avid fans"? As people who own "5 jerseys???? Don't worry eagles fans, the teams window for championships is just beginning to open and McNabb is pretty irrelevant in the matter. He might get to ride a young talented team to the title like the old Elway at Denver, or it might be somebody new driving the team in 3 years, but this team is heading up, not down.
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Posted 01:43 AM, 06/12/2009
hallux
Better have gave...uuuuhhhh? Somewhere your teacher is cringing...
Posted 01:28 AM, 06/12/2009
spd017
While I am a big McNabb fan, I'm a bit wary about the raise. Yes, let the man retire here, as long as he doesn't try to pull a Favre and jump his own shark. Health and performance permitting, I would love him to start the next three seasons, and then spend his last sharing duties with a talented replacement. We honestly have two good seasons left with him. After that, I'm admittedly cynical about his chances to be an effective leader. Let's make some moves whenever we can to get YOUNG but proven talent around him, folks that'll still be in their prime when he retires. Yeah, it'll be expensive, yeah, it'll be risky, but we have a few years left before we've completely blown past our window as a franchise for awhile. Then, it'll be hopefully no more than a few years of rebuilding before we're back in it. We need #5's successor to be hitting HIS prime once we're rebuilt sometime towards the mid-end of next decade.
Posted 01:27 AM, 06/12/2009
phillyflava
Sheldon where ru ??
Posted 01:20 AM, 06/12/2009
zwarte piet
ESPN reports: "The five-time Pro Bowler was due to make $9.2 million this season and $10 million next season. ESPN's Michael Smith reported the two-year deal is worth $24.5 million, with another $1 million in incentives. McNabb, who is entering his 11th season with the Eagles, had been seeking a contract extension. Instead, he'll get a raise."
Posted 12:59 AM, 06/12/2009
PhillyTrue
With a new contract for Donovan and with new weapons on offense this should be a very interesting year indeed. Stay tuned Birds fans...
Posted 12:47 AM, 06/12/2009
CHUCK JR
EAT THAT!!!!!!!!!...But really, his stats are legit and unequaled. Period.
Posted 12:33 AM, 06/12/2009
robkaos
Should deduct 100k for every ball thrown at people's feet.
Posted 12:28 AM, 06/12/2009
skills
I think this is a great thing for the team and the city. McNabb has been a great face of a football team that hasnt done anything before he got here. He has the most playoff wins in the history of the Philadelphia eagles! Okay he hasnt one a super bowl but honestly if your kid said daddy I want to be like Donovan could you complain? He has been raked through the coals by us and he smiles says all the right things and plays the next week. Do we really have much to complain about?
Posted 12:24 AM, 06/12/2009
owumd
The answer: zero. The question: How many times did Philadelphia sports fans suggest the Phillies were a superior franchise to the Eagles prior to the Phillies winning a world series? Bonus question: How many fans publicly declared that they cared more about the Phillies than the Eagles prior to the Phils' WS victory? Philadelphia sports fans are a vile breed.
Posted 12:23 AM, 06/12/2009
citysims
I love it! As a season ticket holder for the last 20 years I say this with great excitement, At no other time in history has this team been so stable and organized than it has with Super 5 behind center. Now lets get his long term deal done!!!!
Posted 12:04 AM, 06/12/2009
phillyWASnice!
Great Move! The moronic masses that belly up to the WIP bar won't like it, which means it's a great move by the FO. I will take my chances w/#5 @ the helm any day. This team is built to win for awhile. To the naysayers, so much for McNabb's window closing. It is firmly propped open---Go Birds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 11:56 PM, 06/11/2009
JimG
"McNabb, honored tonight as the Father of the Year by the American Diabetes Association of Greater Philadelphia, never did specify exactly what he wanted to discuss, but he admitted shortly after the season that he wanted to discuss his contract." It's hard to remember this since there's been soooooo much speculation and nonsense written about McNabb since the NFC Championship game but did he ever make a public statement where he "admitted" that he wanted to discuss his contract? Is this simply referring to the unnamed source who is supposedly close to McNabb and told that to Michael Smith of ESPN? If so, that was never verified by anyone else during all this time. I don't remember McNabb ever making a public comment about his contract. I remember the local media whining that McNabb wouldn't talk to them about whether he wanted a new contract...that was pretty hard to forget since it occurred on pretty much a weekly basis all off-season.
Posted 11:46 PM, 06/11/2009
DIAGFMCNABB
5 is not going anywhere and now either are the Eagles! Well Done Let's go Phils
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Posted 11:26 PM, 06/11/2009
didderbops
Gee I wonder if it is a coincidence that the Eagles released this week the results of an "internal poll" that shows the vast majority of the city loves Donovan and the rest of the organization. Of course it is.
Posted 11:19 PM, 06/11/2009
Onlineps2beast
At least Kolb can begin his UFL superstar career, cant wait for next tuesday's blog:"Kevin's been eating heavily since the news broke, sources from sources sources source report they waited till the last day of OTA'S to announce this deal as not not to break his backup spirit."
Posted 11:18 PM, 06/11/2009
gpicaro
In two years McCoy, Maclin, Jackson, Ingram, and the O-Line will all be dominant. You could put any decent QB back there and they will succeed. Kolb will be just fine and McNabb will be gone. All of these moves for younger stars are for Kolb's benefit, not McNabb's.
Posted 11:15 PM, 06/11/2009
aintezbeingreen
And by the way why is that every time DM leads this team to a championship game, haters say it's luck? You show me a qb that gets benched in the middle of a season and then comes back the next game and from that point on has a pro bowl type season, leading his team to a conference title game. I recall at the time everyone saying the cowboys were gonna beat us and EARN a spot in the playoffs. We know how that story ended. Then we go on the road and beat two tough teams, one of which were the defending Super Bowl champs. And lets not forget it was DM that drove our team 3 straight drives for touchdowns to put us ahead in the fourth, Had the defense shown up that day, it would've been a PA BOWL!! But i guess that's just way too much reality for the haters and fake fans to grasp.
Posted 11:14 PM, 06/11/2009
gpicaro
I don't understand why everyone is so angry about this. I could understand if they extended his contract, but they didn't. Who cares if they gave him more money? He won't be here after this contract is up. If the Eagles really wanted him then they would have extended him. 5isaKing... McNabb's camp asked them only to worry about the 2 years because they knew that's all they would get. If they didn't say that then this never would have gotten done.
Posted 11:12 PM, 06/11/2009
jonnyb0916
Anyone who thinks this isn't deserved is an idiot and I realize that there are a lot of you in Philly. Cheers to McNabb for getting what he deserves and I second rustypop58 in saying, "suck on it" all you haters.
Posted 11:11 PM, 06/11/2009
gthmbt
Keep giving this average QB money. What a big mistake. When he actually comes up big in the clutch let me know. Has he ever taken responsibility for anything??
Posted 11:09 PM, 06/11/2009
gpicaro
5isaKing... It doesn't matter if there was no story when you wrote that. For the past two weeks it has been reported that he wasn't getting more years. And McNabb will not be with the Eagles after this contract ends. Book it!
Posted 11:08 PM, 06/11/2009
M-star
Why did the Eagles have to do this? Just to stop Don from whining all year, or not showing up in OTAs? They could have spent that money on Jay Culter who is 5 years younger.
Posted 11:03 PM, 06/11/2009
pflynn20
GO PHILLIES!
Posted 11:02 PM, 06/11/2009
aintezbeingreen
I think people are missing the point here. It's not all about just more money. He has guaranteed money coming to him now over the next year or so. Which means if he has a bad game and the cry babies who don't know much or understand the game of football start screaming for his head, he doesn't have to worry about his job being in question. He won't have to answer a million questions over and over to the media about will he be back next year. They can't cut him if they owe him over 10 mill that year.
Posted 11:01 PM, 06/11/2009
Onlineps2beast
Ok, there you go. The circle is now complete, when he left he was but the learner now he is the master. Good health, god willing, will give the team a superbowl berth, the John Elway Saga is about to be topped, nobody thought that John Elway could beat Brett Favre in the bowl, 14 point underdog. Now, the qb who got booed on draft day, had Mora challenge his 1st career td pass, broke his ankle but threw 4td's in a rain storm vs the cardinals, lost 4 nfc title gms, lost to cheaters in a bowl, will get the last laugh. Sorry u haters, Super5 not goin anywhere!!!!
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Posted 10:54 PM, 06/11/2009
rustypop58
To all the Donovan bashers-- SUCK ON THAT!!! (LONE WOLF- go do something to nasty yourself)
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Posted 10:47 PM, 06/11/2009
emilia b
Rauuuuulllllll! What about Dawk?
Posted 10:46 PM, 06/11/2009
scars73
I actually like Donovan but I don't get this at all. They were willing to bench him and let Kolb take over as the qb against the Ravens, but because Kolb was so bad, McNabb got another shot. If Kolb had a good game that day, he would be the starting qb now. Then they got lucky and made the playoffs. Why wouldn't they just let him play out his last two years(or at least one more year) and see how thing went? Isn't he getting like $9 mil per?
Posted 10:45 PM, 06/11/2009
Earl J
And they could not working something out with Dawkins, the true heart and soul of this team ever since McNabb has been here???????
Posted 10:43 PM, 06/11/2009
sillybilly
I can't believe the Eagles reside in the same city as The Phillies. How do y'all put up with the engineered obsolescence. Eagles are now 5 years from a Super Bowl.
Posted 10:40 PM, 06/11/2009
franknbeans
He had 2 good quarters in the playoffs and now he wants more money
Posted 10:38 PM, 06/11/2009
Bill1966
At least they didn't extend his contract, but dumb move throwing money away... but its not my money...
Posted 10:38 PM, 06/11/2009
gpicaro
5isaKing... You obviously don't pay serious attention to the Eagles. It has been reported numerous times in the past few weeks that he's not getting more years. They just restructured his remaining 2 years so that he would get more money.
Posted 10:28 PM, 06/11/2009
Joseph060701
Who cares. The Philles beat the Mets and are the defending world champs. They are the only winners in the city.
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About Birds' Eye View Blog

Bob Brookover, left, is in his seventh year of covering the Philadelphia Eagles after spending 15 years covering the Philadelphia Phillies for the Inquirer and two other newspapers. The 45-year-old Brookover lives in Delran with his wife Francine and roots for Notre Dame and Michigan State, the two schools attended by his children, Justine and Ryan. When Notre Dame plays Michigan State, he cheers for the school of the child he likes more at that particular moment.

Jeff McLane, right, joined the Eagles beat in April 2009 after two years of covering colleges, namely Penn State football. Before that he covered high school sports for The Inquirer. Before that he worked in the mailroom (not quite). Informed that his father is no longer covering the Lions, McLane's eldest, three-year-old son said, "You mean Simba, Scar and Mufasa, Daddy?" His two-year-old son -- excited about the move to the Eagles -- said, "Go, Deigo, Go!" or something like that. His wife of five-plus years, however, had a different take on the new job. "Another five years is in question," she said. Check out McLane on Twitter and Facebook for instant updates on the Eagles.