page_title: Donovan McNabb
section_title: 2008
hierarchical_section_title: Donovan McNabb / Professional career / Philadelphia Eagles / 2008
caption_attribution_description: English: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (#5) drops back to pass during training camp in August 2008. Also pictured: Jon Runyan (#69), Max Jean-Gilles (#62), Trevor Laws (#93), Chris Clemons (#91), Jerome McDougle (#95), and Juqua Parker (#75).
context_page_description: Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 13 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his NFL career, he played football and basketball for Syracuse University. The Eagles selected him with the second overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft, and McNabb went on to play 11 seasons with the team, followed by a year each with the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings.
  McNabb was the Eagles' starting quarterback from 1999 to 2009. During his tenure with the Eagles, he led the team to eight playoff appearances, five NFC East division championships, five NFC Championship games, and Super Bowl XXXIX, which the Eagles lost to the New England Patriots, 24–21. He also became the Eagles' all-time leader in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.
  McNabb was the fourth quarterback in NFL history to amass more than 30,000 passing yards, 200 touchdown passes, 3,000 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns in his career. The first three quarterbacks to accomplish this feat were Fran Tarkenton, John Elway, and Steve Young.
context_section_description: At the conclusion of the 2007 season, McNabb faced criticism for asking for "playmakers" on his yardbarker blog. He did, however, deny he was taking a shot at anyone in particular, saying "We were 8–8. There is room for improvement."
  McNabb caused another mild stir in camp when he suggested that the Eagles should not have lost a game to any of their NFC East opponents the previous season. He felt that they were just a few plays away from being a playoff team. He even went on to say, "I still put us at the top of the NFC." In week 1 of the 2008 NFL season, McNabb threw for 361 yards (the most of any quarterback that week) and three touchdowns, which included a 90-yard toss to Hank Baskett at the end of the second quarter. This performance led to him receiving the FedEx Air Player of the Week award. In week 3 against the Steelers, McNabb threw his 176th career touchdown, passing Ron Jaworski and becoming the Eagles' all-time touchdown-pass leader.
  McNabb set a career high with 58 passing attempts (completing 28), and tied a career high with three interceptions in the NFL's first tie game in six years, when the Eagles played the Cincinnati Bengals and ended up with a 13-13 tie. McNabb later admitted that he was not aware that an NFL regular season game could end in a tie, leading to controversy because this could have affected game strategy. After the game, he stated "I never even knew that was in the rulebook. It's part of the rules, and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to the next opportunity to get out there and try to win the game. I hate to see what happens in the Super Bowl, and I hate to see what happens in the playoffs, to settle with a tie."
  After the tie, McNabb struggled in a game against the Baltimore Ravens, going 8-of-18 for 54 yards with two interceptions and a fumble, and being sacked twice. In the second half, Andy Reid decided to go with Kevin Kolb, who was in his second year in the league. This was McNabb's first time being benched for something other than injury or a meaningless game. In the game, Kolb threw an interception that was returned 108 yards for a touchdown by safety Ed Reed, breaking the record he previously held for longest interception returned for a touchdown.
  Despite his up-and-down season, McNabb helped the Eagles reach the playoffs for the seventh time in his nine seasons as a starter. He also set a career high with 3,916 yards passing and led the Eagles to a franchise-record 416 points.
  In the wild card round, McNabb threw for 300 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown to Brian Westbrook, to lead Philadelphia to a 26–14 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
  On January 11, 2009, McNabb led the Eagles past the Giants in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Eagles won 23–11 and advanced to the NFC Championship game against the Arizona Cardinals, whom they had beaten earlier in the season. In the game, McNabb was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, when after being tackled into the Giants' sideline after a lengthy run, he picked up the Giants' coaching phone in jest.
caption: McNabb drops back to pass during Eagles' training camp in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in August 2008
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