Now we know why Washington coach Mike Shanahan danced around the question on Wednesday when asked whether Donovan McNabb would start Sunday at Dallas with the Redskins eliminated from contention. Shanahan will instead turn to backup Rex Grossman, effectively ending McNabb's tenure in the nation's capital just eight months after he was acquired from Philadelphia for a pair of high draft picks, and six games after the coach yanked the six-time Pro Bowl selection for the final two-minute drive at Detroit in favor of the much less accomplished Grossman.
The 34-year-old McNabb is having the worst of his 11 seasons as a starter, with a 77.1 passer rating and a career-high 15 interceptions, but he did post a 100.7 rating in the rain in last week's 17-16 loss to Tampa Bay. And the Redskins made a fuss over signing McNabb to a five-year, $78 million contract extension just 32 days ago. Now, apparently all he'll see from that largesse is a $3.5 million kiss-off after the season.
"I don't go through the starting lineups," Shanahan had said on Wednesday when asked about rumors that Grossman, who has thrown all of 16 passes since Week 11 of 2008 would start against the Cowboys. ""I'm not committing to you who the starters are at any position on the football team. You'll come to the game and find out who's starting."
That same day, McNabb said he believed he would start, as usual, on Sunday. And if that hadn't been the case, that he would have already been so informed.
"I would have hoped so," McNabb said. "That's professionalism and communication."
Shanahan said not declaring McNabb as the starter would help keep the Cowboys off-balance and didn't show a lack of faith in the quarterback.
"No, it doesn't," Shanahan said. It gets people ready for our game and they've got to get ready for two, three players for the game. That's good for us."
Although McNabb was bothered enough by sore hamstrings in October that the Redskins didn't practice the two-minute, hurry-up offense, both he and Shanahan said Wednesday that he has no current health issues. What's more, McNabb is highly popular and respected in the locker room and has become the new face of owner Dan Snyder's franchise.
However, the Redskins are 16th on offense and just 28th in scoring. And although McNabb is on pace to throw for a franchise-record 4,156 yards, he's just 25th in the league in passing rating, five spots below Jason Campbell, the younger three-year starter whom Shanahan dumped to make room for him.
"You guys asked me initially, how long it takes to learn a system and I told you two to three years," Shanahan said. "I was serious. You're learning new terminology and a different system. It doesn't happen overnight, especially when the system is quite different than the one somebody's been running relative to terminology. We've made some strides as an offense, (but) we're not where we want to be," Shanahan said. "Does that mean I'm disappointed? Yeah, I'm disappointed in a way, but I think we've made a lot of strides. We're heading in the right direction. I just still want to play better."
"I respect Mike's decision as a head coach," McNabb said in a release Friday, "but I strongly disagree with it."
With McNabb apparently out of the picture, the Redskins are left with the 30-year-old Grossman and 29-year-old John Beck, who hasn't played since 2007, to lead them into the future. Or else Shanahan must have his eyes on some prospective 2011 rookie, because he can't expect star quarterbacks Peyton Manning or Michael Vick to hit the market, if there even is a free agent signing period this offseason.
More from NFL.com:
Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Somebody better tell McNabb not to buy any green bananas or a monthly bus pass.The writtings on the wall bro.
Mike what are thinking! I will be the first to say McNabb is not having a pro bowl year but you have to look at his supporting cast. I have been an Eagles fan since forever and was angry when Philly traded him after all he did for that city, but hey thats pro sports. I think he still has a few good years left given the right atmosphere. In all honesty Dan keep McNabb and get rid of Mike. The only thing he has done for your team is cause turmoil and no one wants to play for him. I wouldn't play for him no matter how much you were offering! His son Kyle stinks as a coodinator but he's more interested in keeping his family employed than winning Super Bowls!
Shanahan has gone as loopy as Hainsworth.
Maybe it's something in the water.
Thats it! If the Gross one starts Sunday then I officially end my 33 year tenure as a Skins fan!
Don't let the door hit ya on the way out!
Dont let the door hit ya where my damn dog should of bit ya
Pathetic, just like a Redskin..White man comes, and then you leave! Just make sure you show us how to make corn before you leave!
Shanny finally realized Andy sold him a used car with a shiney new paint job and a blown engine.
It took less than a season for Shanahan to figure out what it took Andy Reid 11 seasons to figure out. McNabb is done. Has been done for about three or four years now. And of course he thinks it is everyone else's fault, and not his terrible play.
McNabb not only no longer has the physical skills, he has NEVER had the mental element necessary for an NFL quarterback. His leadership is marginal because is his not an inspirational personality. He's certainly not a student of the game. G'bye D.
I wouldnt call him dumb or untalented,he's got a winning record against most of the teams in the NFL.He's just on the downside of his career,maybe near the end.I bet only Brady or p manning can say they bettered him in the last ten years.He can still be a backup anywhere.
WTF are you talking about? do you have the mental capacity to be a man for that matter? NONE of you know what it takes to be a NFL QB let alone a player so don't belittle a man who has done more for your family than you ever will as a man
You clearly do not know football nor know what you are talking about. McNabb has his statistically low QB rating simply because he can not both throw the ball AND catch it! The Skins are where they are this year because of his supporting cast... they have sucked - and I'm a Skins fan... for years. McNabb is, once again, taking blame and hits he doesn't deserve and Grossman is NOT the answer
Steve, maybe it's your family he has taken care of? WTF are you talking about? You're an idiot. Anyway, I am a huge Eagles fan, and I wanted to see McNabb gone very badly, but I never wanted to see him treated like this. In all the years that I have been a football fan, have I ever seen a teams QB treated with such a public display of disrespect. DM may not have the skills he once did, but he never quits on his team. How the hell has DM caught such disrespect, yet, Dirty Fat Albert just keeps cashing pay checks and thumbing his nose at the Redskins? Shanahan should be fired and never hired as a coach again, ever. This is all coming from a guy that had seen enough of DM over the last three or four years in Philly.
I'm from Chicago and we love McNabb. He was a high school star here and a class act. As a Bear fan there is no bigger loser than Grossman. Without a superior defense and Devin Hester we would have never made it the Super Bowl which he lost. In other words is Shanny out of his "F"in mind? He'll get fired for this boneheaded move.
We can only hope so
You forgot one thing. McNabb is to dumb to be a great guarterback. He freelanced in Philly, that is why they never got over the hump. He's not smart enough to learn Washington's offense & shanahan doesn't tolerate freelancing, aka ( sandlot football ).
Dead ON!!!! Go BEARS!!!!
I didn't read anything here that said Mcnabb isn't starting, other than the writer's opinion....
other than Shanahan saying so at the press conferance today....doh!