Eagles to recognise Mcnabb
PHILADELPHIA: Quarterback Donovan McNabb retired from the NFL on Monday, calling it quits as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, the team he played with for 11 seasons.
McNabb will have his No.5 jersey retired by the Eagles during a ceremony at their Sept 19 home game against Kansas City, whose coach, Andy Reid, led the Eagles during McNabb’s career.
‘‘Special day,’’ McNabb said. ‘‘I’m not one for emotion, but it’s a tough one.’’
McNabb played his first 11 NFL seasons with the Eagles, then played for Washington and Minnesota before sitting out the 2012 season.
The Eagles selected McNabb with the second overall pick of the 1999 NFL Draft. He led the Eagles to 91 wins in the regular season plus nine play-off triumphs and his team records including 32,873 yards and 216 touchdown passes.
‘‘Donovan McNabb was a franchisechanging quarterback for the Eagles and helped raise the bar of success for this franchise during his 11-year tenure with the team,’’ Philadelphia owner Jeffrey Lurie said.
‘‘His unique ability to make plays through the air and with his legs made him one of the most dynamic players this city has ever seen.
‘‘Donovan was the face and the focal point of so many of our great Eagles teams and he helped make this franchise a contender each and every year.
The Eagles won five NFC East titles, made five appearances in the National Conference finals and reached Super Bowl 39, losing to New England in 2005, with McNabb directing the attack.
McNabb was traded to Washington before the 2010 season and played 13 games for the Redskins. He was traded to Minnesota before the 2011 campaign but played only six games before being dropped in December.
In 167 career games, McNabb completed 59 percent of his passes for 37,276 yards with 234 touchdowns and 117 interceptions. His 3,459 rushing yards rank sixth on the all-time list for quarterbacks.