McNabb Update: Positive, Upbeat
May 18, 2007
By JOHN CLAYTON
While Donovan McNabb's presence at last weekend's mini-camp was unmistakable, the quarterback remained tight-lipped, willingly passing the spotlight along to his teammates on the practice field.
On Friday, McNabb hosted a barbeque for local media members at RiverCrest Golf Club in Phoenixville, which will serve as the site for the Donovan McNabb Foundation Golf Classic on June 15.
The informal setting -- the first exchange between McNabb and the full contingent of local media since his injury last November -- afforded McNabb an opportunity to address a laundry list of issues that have lingered since the premature end to McNabb's 2006 season.
Throughout the event McNabb addressed, among other things, the progression of his rehab, his relationship with coaches and teammates, and his impressions of rookie quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Health was by far the topic permeating throughout a majority of the conversation Friday. McNabb gave a general update on his rehabilitation progress, and while the Eagles' franchise quarterback is a little way from game shape, the news was mostly good.
"The knee is getting better," McNabb said. "You still have to be patient. One day you may feel like you can do everything, the next day it may feel spotty. So you just have to prepare yourself throughout the offseason to face a lot of different things."
McNabb said he recently started running and cutting on his injured left knee to test out his repaired ACL. He's also been throwing once a week. McNabb added that he had experienced no major setbacks since his surgery.
McNabb has been rehabbing the knee four times a week, while still participating in general conditioning workouts five days a week. McNabb said his exercises include weight-lifting, running on the treadmill and certain agility drills.
"It's really similar to my workouts in Arizona, just not as extensive," said McNabb, referring to his customary offseason workout site.
While McNabb said he could be cleared to resume working out with the team as early as after the team's June mini-camp, he was noncommittal about when he would be ready to practice with the team once again. The target time for his return appears to be the start of training camp at Lehigh University in late July.
"It sounds good, but I don't know," McNabb said, adding that the decision will be a joint one by him, the coaches and team medical personnel. "I'd love to say yes, but I don't know. Will it be stronger than it is now or will it be the same? It's tough to tell."
The talk with McNabb strayed far further than merely about health reports. The afternoon offered McNabb a chance to diffuse any rumors that his relationship with the Eagles' organization might have soured.
Many were confused last week when McNabb held a clandestine interview session in New Jersey with only select media members to address the drafting of Kolb before the Eagles mini-camp.
Yet McNabb insisted the departures from normalcy were not an attempt to undermine his employers.
"This isn't a situation where I'm trying to stand out from the rest of the team," McNabb said. "Not to take anything away from the Eagles. I'm not here trying to say, 'Hey, I'm my own man.' I'm my own man anyway. I'm a player, yes. And I work for the Eagles.
"Everybody is looking into it too deep and there's just nothing there to dig for."
McNabb also said he didn't feel a need to change his perception among teammates and fans.
"I don't feel like I need to change the way I'm perceived," McNabb said. "Hopefully I'm perceived in a positive light. You want to be looked upon as a role model, a human being. But again, if someone feels some type of way about me, well I can't please everybody."
The talk about McNabb's relationship with the front office and teammates spilled into questions about his relationship with head coach Andy Reid. Since drafting Kolb, Reid has downplayed what the new addition means for McNabb and the effect it has had on their relationship.
McNabb said the events of the offseason have done anything but weaken his connection with his Reid, who drafted McNabb in the first round back in 1999.
"My relationship is probably better than it was before because we were able to talk about a lot of different issues," McNabb said. "Obviously there's the issue we're faced with now with drafting a quarterback, but there was also the situation with him and what his family was faced with, and I was there for him. I called him and talked to him, texted him, whatever to let him know that I was there for him if he needed anything.
"People again look too far into it. We talk all the time."
And what about the aforementioned Kolb, to whom so much attention was given this past mini-camp? McNabb said he was impressed by the young rookie's ability and calm demeanor throughout the weekend.
It was a relaxed atmosphere as McNabb mixed and mingled with members of the local media
Of more interest to those in attendance, McNabb emphasized that he had already established a positive relationship with the rookie out of Houston.
"I knew he would be a great guy to talk to and that's part of what bothered me through the whole deal. I didn't think anybody thought I was going to be upset," McNabb said. "We got an opportunity to talk during some of the meetings and I thought it helped both of us."
McNabb also stressed that he had no problems sharing the spotlight with his new understudy, and didn't want to make Kolb's first weekend about himself.
"I stayed off to the side more than where I am usually because I know this is a time when (quarterbacks coach) Pat Shurmur can coach up Kevin and I know Andy has some words to say to him," McNabb said. "I didn't want to be in the way or look like I was the one to talk to him while the other coaches were there."
Being a spectator last week allowed McNabb to get a first-hand look at the 2007 squad, and he's excited.
McNabb said he was excited to work with new wideout Kevin Curtis, who impressed him during the first mini-camp. He watched Curtis carefully last weekend and studied how the veteran came in and out of his routes.
McNabb said he'll have an opportunity to work with Curtis and other teammates late next month in Arizona, where McNabb will resume offseason workouts.
Speaking of receivers, McNabb said he's been encouraged by the progress he's seen in third-year receiver Reggie Brown. The quarterback went as far as saying Brown reminded him of "a young Marvin Harrison."
With all the focus on the futures of Kolb, Curtis and Brown, McNabb didn't forget to touch on what he felt was in store for him. His forecast seemed quite optimistic.
"I'm 30 years old. I feel young," McNabb said. "I played eight years. It's not like I played 15 or 20 years and they got to throw me out of the league. I can't do anything about my age. I can't do anything about the number of years I've played. But I believe my best years are ahead of me.
"Every year I challenge myself to do something different, better than I did the year before. If I can do that this year it will be a great season for us."
I too, am not saying Salisbury or McNabb is being less than truthful - conveniently smokescreeing - or anything -- but something about this reminds me of CPepe when he and the Phins were saying he looked good and would play and then he came back hurt and too soon.
