Donovan McNabb Gets Five-Year Extension

Added on Nov 15, 2010 by Scott in

NFL

He might be injured, out of shape and unfamiliar with the playbook, but Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb is a lot richer today than he was when he was benched two weeks ago. According to NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora, McNabb has agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $78 million, $40 million of which is guaranteed. I guess this means there isn’t a quarterback controversy in the nation’s capital. Right?

Mike Shanahan’s sudden benching of McNabb in a loss to the Lions, and subsequent failure to adequately define his reasons for doing so, left many pigskin pundits (including me) predicting McNabb’s days in D.C. were numbered. Obviously, we were all wrong.

The signing is a major head-scratcher though. McNabb is having the worst season statistically in his twelve-year career. His 76.0 passer rating is the lowest since he was a rookie, and he has tossed seven touchdowns and eight picks in eight games.

At 33, he is clearly on the decline. The talent cupboard is also pretty bare in Washington. Only Santana Moss and Chris Cooley are proven playmakers and neither is getting any younger. It seems unlikely McNabb will make it to the end of the deal, so $40 million in guaranteed money is a lot to hand over, even for willing-to-spend owner Daniel Snyder.

To put this news in perspective, Tom Brady received a similar extension in September worth a reported $78.5 million with $48.5 million up front. The same Tom Brady who has played in four Super Bowls and won three, including Super Bowl XXXIX versus McNabb.

I’m not saying this is a monumental waste of cash, but unless McNabb does a complete 180 and suddenly becomes the accurate, consistent and big game quarterback he’s never been, this will go down as one of the worst football decisions in recent memory.

For the second time in three years, Donovan has parlayed a benching into more coin from his employer. The Eagles restructured his contract after the 2008 season and now this. Tonight, on the Monday Night stage versus his ex-team, he’ll get his first chance to prove he’s ready to turn over a new leaf and thumb his nose at the naysayers. You gotta love sports.