Donovan McNabb

Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles.

McNabb was the second of five quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks of a quarterback-rich class that was at that point considered the best quarterback draft since the famous class of 1983.

His 22 touchdown passes tied the school's single-season record, set by former Eagle Don McPherson in 1987.

McNabb also rushed 135 times for 438 yards and eight touchdowns.

McNabb was named the Big East's offensive player of the decade for the 1990s, and Big East Offensive Player of the Year three times from 1996 to 1998, as well as the first-team all-conference vote earner in each of his four seasons.

Together, they helped Mount Carmel win the 1991 State Championship over Wheaton Central High School.

In 1993, as a senior, he led the team to a Chicago Prep Bowl championship.

He also excelled at track and field, and played basketball with Antoine Walker.

Though McNabb was approached by recruiters from numerous colleges, only two schools, Syracuse University and the University of Nebraska, offered him scholarships to play college football as a quarterback.

He initially leaned toward attending Nebraska, as he relished the idea of being coached by Tom Osborne.

Eventually, however, he decided to attend Syracuse and play for the Syracuse Orange football team, principally because he wanted to prove he was a competent "pocket passer", but also for their broadcasting journalism program.

After redshirting in 1994, his first year at Syracuse, McNabb went on to start every game during his college career, compiling a 35–14 record.

As a freshman, he completed the longest touchdown pass in Syracuse's history—a 96-yard throw against West Virginia University—in a game where he accounted for 354 total yards of offense; he was named the Big East Conference's rookie of the year at the end of the season.

McNabb amassed 2,892 yards of total offense in his junior season to set a school record.

As a senior, he led Syracuse to a berth in the Orange Bowl against Florida, as he completed 157 of 251 passes (62.5%) for 2,134 yards; he also pushed the eventual champions, the Tennessee Volunteers, to the limit in a very close game.

He spent two years as a reserve on the school's nationally ranked basketball team, including the 1996 squad that lost to Kentucky (a team led by his former high-school teammate Antoine Walker) in the National Championship game.

During his junior year, McNabb hosted Michael Vick when Vick visited Syracuse during a recruiting visit, and the two remained friends afterward.

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He was a finalist for the 1998 Heisman Trophy.

Later, he was named to the Syracuse All-Century football team.

McNabb was also a walk-on for two seasons for the Syracuse basketball team under head coach Jim Boeheim.

He played college football for the Syracuse Orange and was selected second overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Eagles, where he spent 11 seasons.

McNabb also spent a year each with the Washington Redskins and the Minnesota Vikings.

As the Eagles' starting quarterback from 1999 to 2009, McNabb led the team to eight playoff appearances (including five consecutive from 2000 to 2004), five division titles and appearances in the NFC Championship Game (including four consecutive from 2001 to 2004), nine postseason wins, and one Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX.

McNabb was drafted in the first round as the second overall pick by the Eagles, behind first pick Tim Couch, in the 1999 NFL Draft.

A group of Eagles fans known as the "Dirty 30" were sent to the draft by sports radio host Angelo Cataldi and Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell.

The two believed the Eagles would select running back Ricky Williams and they wanted the fans to cheer the selection.

However, when the Eagles selected McNabb the "Dirty 30" ended up loudly booing McNabb when he appeared on stage.

McNabb's awards and honors include being named to six Pro Bowls, being named twice as CBS Radio's NFC Player of Year (2000, 2004), and named as the 101 Awards NFC Offensive Player of the Year (2004).

He is known for his dual-threat skills as a quarterback, being only the fourth quarterback to amass over 30,000 passing yards, 200 touchdown passes, 3,000 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns in the regular season, and only the third quarterback with over 3,000 passing yards, 400 rushing yards, and 25 total touchdowns in the postseason.

McNabb led the NFL twice in total offense per game (2005, 2006), led the NFL in total touchdowns per game (2002), and in 2008 held the NFL record for lowest career interception percentage (2.09%, now surpassed).

He is the Eagles' franchise leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, and completions.

McNabb was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.

He attended Mount Carmel High School, where as a sophomore, he was a teammate of future NFL players Simeon Rice and Matt Cushing.

By 2006, only McNabb was still with the team that originally drafted him.

However, only McNabb and Daunte Culpepper went on to have successful careers in the NFL; Tim Couch struggled with the Cleveland Browns and officially retired in 2007 after being cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars in a failed comeback bid, while Akili Smith and Cade McNown were out of the NFL by 2002.

The Eagles retired McNabb's no. 5 jersey number when he was inducted to the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame in 2013.

He ranked sixth in the nation with a 158.9 passing efficiency rating and 22nd in total offense, with 233.8 yards per game.

He tied a school record with four touchdown passes against Cincinnati, and scored five touchdowns against Miami (three rushing and two passing).

McNabb was also teammates with future NFL star Marvin Harrison for one season at Syracuse.