Donovan McNabb is already plotting his return trip to Philadelphia in 2010... as a Washington Redskin
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Rumors that Donovan McNabb would end up in Oakland have been squashed along with so many Raiders’ fans dreams of a return to AFC West dominance. Oakland was reported by ESPN and a number of California newspapers as the most likely landing place for the 11-year veteran Pro Bowl QB.
But Sunday night the Philadelphia Eagles announced that McNabb had been traded to cross-division rivals the Washington Redskins.
Former Denver Broncos head coach and current Redskins coach Mike Shanahan will oversee Donovan’s transition to DC. There will be no joy in Oakland-town this year, as Raiders Nation suffers through another season with the perpetually overrated Jamarcus Russel at the helm. The move to Washington makes Donovan’s journey West considerably shorter (about 2.5 hours by car) and much more interesting both nationally and locally.
Broncos fans will get to see Shanahan coach a top-tier veteran quarterback for the first time since he helped John Elway win consecutive Super Bowls.
This is a unique opportunity for Shanahan in his first year with the Redskins. Can McNabb be the offensive leader that Shanahan has been missing for the last ten years? The presence of Washington’s consistent, veteran-led defense (something else Mike was missing in Denver) should be enough to at least send the ‘Skins to the postseason.
Outside of Colorado, the national media is wetting itself.
The prospect of another jilted veteran QB playing his former team twice a year will fill ESPN headlines from now until September. Last season it was Brett Favre, decked out in Vikings purple, whupping up on the Packers both in Green Bay and Minneapolis. There would be a small coup in Philadelphia if McNabb, who still has elite arm strength and decent accuracy, were to defeat his former team as a Redskin twice in 2010.
