Getty Former professional football player Donovan McNabb attends the 'Forgotten Four: The Integration Of Pro Football' screening presented by EPIX & UCLA at Royce Hall, UCLA on September 9, 2014 in Westwood, California.
Donovan McNabb has lofty expectations for the 2019 Philadelphia Eagles. That was evidenced by the $100 bet he placed on his former team to win the Super Bowl a few short weeks ago.
McNabb, who quarterbacked the Eagles for 11 seasons, backed up his bold wager Tuesday by explaining what went into his thought process. He thinks the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints might be slightly better teams, but his “economically wise” research led him to put his money on Philly. McNabb predicted 10 wins for the Eagles and a potential Super Bowl match-up against Kansas City.
“I think they are a 10-6 football team,” McNabb told Marc Farzetta and Tra Thomas in an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic. “I think coming out of the gate, it could be somewhat of a question because we haven’t seen them in the preseason. We haven’t seen them move around and get banged around a little bit. But then I think they beat Washington, probably by double digits and then we’ll see what happens after that. They’re more of a 10-6 football team and possibly 11-5.”
According to McNabb, the biggest worry isn’t Carson Wentz’s health. No, it’s whether the cornerbacks can stay off the injury report. The Eagles are already dealing with lingering ailments involving Jalen Mills (PUP) and Cre’Von LeBlanc (IR). There is also cautious optimism around Ronald Darby.
Did you hear Donovan McNabb on this morning with @975Mornings on the @comcastbusiness hotline? Check it out.
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McNabb Takes High Road on Wentz
Donovan McNabb wasn’t taking the bait after he caught heat last year for taking a few perceived shots at Carson Wentz. This time, he chose his words very carefully in saying “it’s unfair to him and it’s unfortunate” about comparing the most current version of Wentz with the 2017 MVP version of Wentz.
McNabb judiciously referenced the NFL’s elite quarterbacks — calling out Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady and Drew Brees — for building a framework on how to judge a successful season. Rodgers, Brady and Brees all had “down years” in 2018 despite putting up what would normally be considered impressive numbers if the bar hadn’t been set so high for them.
“The way we have to evaluate Carson is, for him to kind of have some ups and downs, kind of battle through when his body is feeling bad in certain situations, just like other elite quarterbacks,” said McNabb. “Let’s just watch him develop and give him at least eight weeks to see what kind of quarterback we’re going to see out of Carson.”
Donovan McNabb has a strong opinion on Carson Wentz’s future with the Eagles 👀
Philly Sports Talker Defends McNabb
News that Donovan McNabb would be joining 97.5 The Fanatic as a football analyst was met with divisive skepticism by Eagles fans. The radio station announced that the former quarterback will be offering his opinions every Monday on their morning show hosted by Marc Farzetta and Tra Thomas. The reactions on social media ranged from hilarious to offensive. Farzetta felt compelled to chime in on the matter during Tuesday’s broadcast.
“I’m seeing the hate on Twitter. You’re all idiots,” said Farzetta, via Inquirer.com.
Love you guys but having #5 is a cheap radio stunt that seems like a hail mary for your show. Such crap he is “honest”. He hasn’t ever been honest with himself or anyone. @jelynchjr @MarcFarzetta @975Mornings
McNabb, of course, is the winningest quarterback in Eagles history yet his passive-aggressive attitude left many with a bad taste in their mouths. That, and the fact he never delivered on his promise to win a Super Bowl. Still, McNabb is arguably the greatest signal-caller in franchise history — and it’s really not that arguable considering his borderline Hall-of-Fame numbers.
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