102 Facts About Donovan McNabb

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

Donovan McNabb played college football for the Syracuse Orange and was selected with the second overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft by the Eagles, where he spent 11 seasons.

Donovan McNabb is widely regarded as one of the most successful quarterbacks in Philadelphia Eagles history, despite not having won a Super Bowl.

Donovan McNabb 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.

Donovan McNabb led the NFL twice in total offense per game, led the NFL in total touchdowns per game, and in 2008 held the NFL record for lowest career interception percentage.

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

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

Donovan McNabb excelled at track and field, and played basketball with Antoine Walker.

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

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

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

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

Donovan McNabb tied a school record with four touchdown passes against Cincinnati, and scored five touchdowns against Miami.

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

Donovan 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.

Donovan McNabb was a finalist for the 1998 Heisman Trophy.

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

Donovan McNabb spent two years as a reserve on the school's nationally ranked basketball team, including the 1996 squad that lost to Kentucky in the National Championship game.

Donovan 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.

Donovan 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.

Donovan McNabb had nine carries for 49 rushing yards and led the team to a pair of successful two-point conversions.

Donovan McNabb was the first Eagles rookie to start at quarterback since Brad Goebel, and the first Eagles rookie draft pick to start since John Reaves in 1972.

Donovan McNabb went on to start six of the Eagles' final seven contests.

Donovan McNabb's 125 rushing yards were the most by an NFL quarterback since the Chicago Bears' Bobby Douglass rushed for 127 on December 17,1972, and was the eighth-best rushing effort by a quarterback since 1940 when the T formation was introduced.

Donovan McNabb was selected as a first alternate to the NFC Pro Bowl squad in 2000.

When Warner was unable to participate due to injury, Donovan McNabb took his spot.

Donovan McNabb's 629 rushing yards in 2000 led the Eagles, made McNabb only the third quarterback since 1970 to lead his team in rushing, and at the time was the fourth-highest season rushing total by a quarterback.

Donovan McNabb's six rushing touchdowns in 2000 were the most by an Eagles quarterback since Randall Cunningham, who had six in 1988.

Donovan McNabb broke the club's single-season record for most attempts and completions in 2000, marks previously set by Cunningham in 1988.

Donovan McNabb was named 2000 NFC Player of the Year by CBS Radio and the Terry Bradshaw Awards on Fox Sports and was named to the All-Madden team.

Donovan McNabb earned his second trip to the Pro Bowl following the 2001 season after combining for 3,715 yards of total offense and establishing career highs in touchdown passes and quarterback rating.

Donovan McNabb was named by his teammates as the club's offensive MVP in 2000 and 2001.

In 2002, Donovan McNabb was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September, his first time receiving that award.

In week 11 of the 2002 season, Donovan McNabb suffered a broken fibula.

Donovan McNabb fumbled the ball, fell to the ground, and held his right leg.

Donovan McNabb went to the locker room to have his ankle taped, but returned for the Eagles' second drive.

Donovan McNabb ended the game 20-of-25 passing with 255 yards and four touchdowns, putting him as the NFL's leader in total touchdowns per game where he remained for the rest of the season.

Donovan McNabb's injury was initially reported to be a sprained ankle, however X-rays after the game revealed that Donovan McNabb's fibula was broken, and he was out for the remainder of the regular season.

Donovan McNabb returned to face the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, but he recovered slowly.

Donovan McNabb again led his team to the NFC Championship, highlighted by the Eagles' comeback overtime win against the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round.

Donovan McNabb became the first quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards in a postseason game, surpassing the previous NFL record which Otto Graham held for over 50 years.

Donovan McNabb completed the critical 4th and 26 pass to Freddie Mitchell during the game-tying drive at the end of regulation.

Donovan McNabb was injured with separated rib cartilage in the second quarter, when a sack by Panthers' defensive end Mike Rucker was worsened by linebacker Greg Favors tackling Donovan McNabb on the ground, because Favors was unsure if the play was over.

Donovan McNabb sat out for one play before returning to the game.

Donovan McNabb attempted to play through the injury but was much less effective afterward, completing only four of his next 12 passes including three interceptions, leaving the game for Koy Detmer to play the fourth quarter.

The New York Post noted that Donovan McNabb's cumulative passer rating in the three championship games was 50.5, which was a figure lower than the NFL's lowest passer ratings during those seasons, and not an acceptable rating for a franchise quarterback drafted with the goal of leading the Eagles to their first championship in over 40 years.

Donovan McNabb finally amassed the kind of numbers that placed him firmly as one of the elite NFL quarterbacks statistically.

Donovan McNabb ended the season 1 TD short of tying the Eagles' single season records for passing TDs and total TDs, in large part because he only played sparingly in the team's fifteenth game, and the team rested Donovan McNabb for the season finale.

Donovan McNabb had arguably his most productive game of the season in a week-13 game against the Super Bowl-contending Green Bay Packers.

Donovan McNabb became only the third African-American quarterback to start in a Super Bowl after Doug Williams in 1987 and Steve McNair in 1999.

Donovan McNabb struggled at times as the Patriots' defense implemented a plan to stifle the Eagles' running attack and contain Donovan McNabb's mobility.

Some controversy followed the game, with rumors circulating that Donovan McNabb became ill and threw up in the huddle during the Eagles' last touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.

Donovan McNabb denied the rumor and accepted blame for the defeat.

The rumor persisted even though no Eagles player could confirm seeing Donovan McNabb become ill, and even though none of the extensive television coverage recorded such an incident.

Donovan McNabb nearly set an NFL record as he completed 25 consecutive passes in a single game against the San Diego Chargers on October 23,2005, but this record is not counted by the NFL as the completions were interrupted by a spiking of the ball to stop the clock at the end of the first half.

The 2005 game was noteworthy for Coach Reid calling for Donovan McNabb to have 25 pass attempts in a row, without interruption by a running play.

Donovan McNabb was intercepted by Roy Williams towards the end of the game, and tried to tackle the defender when Scott Shanle came in and tackled Donovan McNabb to the ground.

Donovan McNabb's groin was injured on the play and he was placed on the injured-reserve list later that week.

At that time Donovan McNabb led the NFL in total offense per game, touchdown percentage, and yards per completion, and was among the NFL's top 3 quarterbacks for lowest interception percentage and highest TD-INT ratio.

However, during the game, Donovan McNabb tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee while jumping out of bounds, ending his season, the third time in five years Donovan McNabb had gone down with six or more games remaining in the regular season.

Donovan McNabb had his share of problems, completing less than half of his passes for 184 yards and one touchdown.

Donovan McNabb completed 21 of his 26 attempted passes for 381 yards.

Donovan McNabb was 14 of 15 for 332 yards in the first half.

The Giants' defense, led by defensive end Osi Umenyiora, sacked Donovan McNabb a record-tying 12 times.

Donovan McNabb completed 15 of 31 attempted passes for 138 yards and no touchdowns.

Donovan McNabb finished the 2007 season with 3,324 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 14 games.

Donovan McNabb later indicated that this was not true, and stated that although he believed rookie Kevin Kolb's time would come, he would be an Eagle the next season.

Donovan 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.

Donovan McNabb felt that they were just a few plays away from being a playoff team.

In week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Donovan McNabb threw his 176th career touchdown, passing Ron Jaworski and becoming the Eagles' all-time touchdown-pass leader.

Donovan 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.

Donovan McNabb was 28 for 47 for 375 yards passing, three touchdowns, an interception, and a passer rating of 97.4.

Donovan McNabb encouraged the Eagles to sign quarterback Michael Vick to the team as a backup upon his release from prison for his part in a criminal dog fighting operation.

Donovan McNabb completed 10 of his 18 passes for a total of 79 yards and two touchdowns.

However, Andy Reid said the following Monday that Donovan McNabb broke a rib while rushing for a touchdown in the third quarter.

The Eagles were hopeful Donovan McNabb would start in the week-2 game against the New Orleans Saints, but he was kept on the sidelines in both weeks 2 and 3.

Donovan McNabb reached 200 career touchdowns and 30,000 career yards passed in a win against the Washington Redskins on October 26,2009, with a 45-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson.

Donovan McNabb faced speculation about his future with the Eagles, with some considering his possible trade value if the team began a transition at quarterback from Donovan McNabb to backup and former second round draft pick Kevin Kolb.

Donovan McNabb earned Pro Bowl honors for the sixth and last time in his career, with the 2009 season being statistically one of his most productive seasons.

Donovan McNabb threw one touchdown and was intercepted twice, with the second interception coming on fourth down in the last minute of the fourth quarter against the visiting Indianapolis Colts.

In week 8, Shanahan stated in a press conference that Donovan McNabb would remain the Redskins' starting quarterback.

On November 15,2010, Donovan McNabb signed a five-year extension worth $78 million with a chance to make it $88 million by completing incentives.

The deal stated that if Donovan McNabb was not cut or traded at the conclusion of the 2010 season, he would receive a $10 million bonus.

Donovan McNabb finished the game going 17 of 31 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Donovan McNabb had perhaps one of the worst years of his career since 1999, posting career lows in season passer rating and TD-INT ratio.

However, at the time Donovan McNabb was demoted to third string, he was on pace to total 4,156 passing yards for the season, which would have broken the Redskins' all-time franchise record, and been the first time he had exceeded the 4,000-yard mark in his career.

Donovan McNabb was ranked 100th in the first ranking of NFL players by their peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011, placing 7th among the NFC's quarterbacks and 12th overall.

Donovan McNabb was rumored to be a possible addition to the Vikings for the past three years, in part due to his relationship with then-coach Brad Childress, the former Eagles offensive coordinator.

Donovan McNabb requested and was granted his release from the team on December 1,2011.

Potential destinations for Donovan McNabb included the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, and his hometown Chicago Bears, all three of which lost their starting quarterbacks for the season to injury, but were still making playoff pushes.

On July 29,2013, Donovan McNabb officially retired from professional football as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

In September 2012, Donovan McNabb joined the NFL Network as an analyst.

Donovan McNabb married his college sweetheart, Raquel Ann Sarah "Roxie" Nurse, in June 2003.

In 2002, Donovan McNabb, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in speech communication from Syracuse University, was named to the institution's board of trustees; he is one of the youngest trustees to have served there.

Donovan McNabb currently is an athlete partner and serves on the advisory board for MODe Sports Nutrition.

Donovan McNabb is the brother-in-law of former Canadian Football League player Richard Nurse.

On June 28,2015, Donovan McNabb was arrested for DUI following a traffic accident in Gilbert, Arizona.

Donovan McNabb pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 days, 18 to be served in jail and the remainder under house arrest.

Donovan McNabb was assessed a $6,000 fine and required to do 30 hours of community service.

Donovan McNabb paid his fine and began serving his time on November 30,2015.

In 2009, Donovan McNabb donated $2.5 million to help fund the construction of a new neonatal intensive care unit in the Virtua Voorhees Hospital in Voorhees, NJ where the family's four children were born.

In 2021, Donovan McNabb co-founded The QB Legacy, a nonprofit group to provide mentoring and coaching to young quarterbacks in underserved communities.