In the NFL quarterbacks are measured by their rating, overall stats, and winning percentage. The great quarterbacks are often rated by Super Bowl victories. My apologies to Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, but when fans talk about great quarterbacks they immediately think of Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman, and Tom Brady. Why? Because they have all won multiple Super Bowls. John Elway’s career had all the necessary statistics for greatness, but he wasn’t ordained until winning the Super Bowl. Even quarterbacks like Brett Favre, who have only won one, have achieved greatness in their careers.
This fact will never be more true than in the case of Donovan McNabb. Despite having play for ten solid seasons in which his team reached five NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl, his legacy still hangs in the balance. He plays in a town with the harshest critics in the world and has had controversy surround his career since the day he was drafted. He has Hall of Fame credentials, yet most analysts do not see him as a future Hall of Famer. He will certainly go down as the greatest Eagles quarteback ever, unless someone in the future can put up better numbers than his. But the unfortunate bottom line to his career will be whether or not he ever wins the big one.
As a fan, I would love to see him finish his career as an Eagle. Given the nature of this game, that is probably very unlikely. Most of the great ones end up trying to squeeze an extra season or two with another team at the end of their careers, just ask Brett Favre. McNabb is no where near the end of his career, just ask Kurt Warner, and easily has four or five seasons left in him. Despite all the typical Philly critics, everything is in place for the Eagles to win a Super Bowl in the next few years. Sure, we need a few players here and there, but the core group is solid and you have a franchise quarterback who can lead you there. The question remains, does Donovan want to risk his legacy trying to win one as an Eagle or does he believe he has a better chance with a fresh start on a new team? Only time will tell the answer to that one.
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