McNabb tells Hurts to ‘stay in the moment’
PHOENIX — Bouncing around Radio Row dispensing his entertaining take on this glorious football Friday was the one, the only, former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Super Bowl LVII has a storybook script for McNabb in that the organization he led to SB 39 is playing a Kansas City Chiefs team coached by Andy Reid, the man who committed to him when so many knuckleheads wanted to draft running back Rickey Williams.
“You’ve got good teams and then my head coach who drafted me second overall, his first draft pick as a head coach,” McNabb said.
“And they’re playing here, in the state in which I live. So, I’m excited for this opportunity to see both parties put it out on the floor and just make it happen.”
Add to that history the fact that it’s the first Super Bowl with two black starting quarterbacks and the game has come a long way for McNabb, who was one of the pioneers banging on the door of diversity.
McNabb has relationships with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was voted league MVP and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, the runner-up.
He’s proud of the example they set for youth, explaining in so many words that they are proof dreams can come true for hard workers.
The Eagles are favored to win their second Lombardi Trophy against a Chiefs squad that rarely enters any game as the underdog.
The advice McNabb would offer Hurts is simply to lock in.
“Stay in the moment,” McNabb said. “Focus in on your craft, continue to treat it as business as usual. It’s just like a regular regular-season game. And just continue to have fun. That’s the most important thing, have fun. I’m very impressed with his season but it was expected by me. I expected it. He’s doing great.”
McNabb is looking trimmer than several years past. Almost fit enough to get back on the field. To look at him is to wonder how much it hurt to tackle him during his playing days.
McNabb is every bit as impressed with the way Hurts has strengthened the running, throwing, and reading skills that got him to the league.
“He impresses me all the time,” McNabb said. “But the thing about it is, listen, remember I’ve always said he was a grown man in the room. The thing I’m more impressed with about him is his consistency. He’s been consistent ever since he was drafted. People just wanted more, and they were expecting more.
“Now they’re getting it and so it’s kind of like now what are you asking for? He’s about consistency and you have to appreciate that.”